I have been making jewelry, using ancient and traditional metalsmithing techniques for over 40 years now. It started out as a passion and hobby, but in 2000 I was able to start making jewelry full-time, and by 2003 I was self-employed as a Custom Jeweler. I am fortunate to call my work “play”… I love to create with metal- there is something so tangible about the smell of the torches and hot metal, taking something so raw through the stages to becoming a family heirloom. I love to make “Artisan Jewelry”, taking the metals from scrap, or wire and sheet, and bringing them to life at my bench, it has a zen quality all of it’s own. When working with gemstones and hand carved pieces of semi-precious gems from local stonecutters, I love to see where the process takes me. Some artists like to draw precisely what they will build, but I have found that I will draw some “sketches” and possibilities, however, when I sit at the bench and work with the metals (gold, silver, and sometimes copper) something magical takes places and reaches far beyond any sketch I may have drawn. This is where I allow the muse to take over.