Almost everything I’ve learned about art is reflected in my work. And most of the time, I’m not actually thinking about “making art.” All the elements, like color, shape, form, texture, balance, proportion, design, etc. are reflected in each piece and the process seems to flow naturally without much forethought on my part.

Although I’m a planner by nature and spent many years managing projects professionally, a lot of my work is not pre-conceived, but takes shape as I work. I rarely have a sketch but usually have a picture in my mind when I start a piece. As I work with the materials, the piece evolves as it is being created.

The simplicity and imperfection of natural and organic material influence the subjects I choose. It might be the texture and aromatic smell of a sage leaf from my organic garden or simply my love of nature - the sea, changing seasons, leaves, moss, snowflakes, sand dollars – that compel me to create jewelry that usually reflects these every day things.

New ideas and “aha” moments occur frequently, and I am greatly influenced by the metal, my subject, the tool and/or technique I am using at the time. Stimulation and a sense of accomplishment come from the creative process of making a piece of jewelry, and then, in turn seeing that piece triggers additional ideas and designs. Each creation is in some way connected to a previous one, weaving all subsequent pieces into a montage of creative moments.

My goal as an artist and metalsmith is to continue to pursue my passion for creating natural, limited edition or one-of-a-kind, easy to wear, handcrafted jewelry. My desire is for others to be inspired in some way by the subject, the material and/or the technique and to enjoy wearing the jewelry as much as I have enjoyed creating it.

Since I thrive on learning and experimentation, the past year has presented numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth. In addition to using my torch, you can find me spending many hours with my rolling mill, and beloved home-made hydraulic press. These tools, coupled with the wonderful versatility of metal, produce results that are sometimes unexpected, often beautiful, and always educational.

In addition to basic fabrication tools and techniques, metal clay has a prominent place at my bench. Metal clay allows me a great deal of creative freedom, and I love how it lends itself to experimentation in design and technique. Since the end product is fine silver or 22k gold, it can be combined with traditional fabrication techniques resulting in endless possibilities, as seen in my “Sea for Yourself” line of pendants, earrings and charm bracelets.

Earlier this year, I taught myself how to acid-etch. While practicing the etching techniques I developed a line of custom pet tags. Although the tags themselves proved to be less lucrative than I had hoped, I was able to express my love for canine and feline friends who today proudly wear these one-of-a-kind tags. In the process, I perfected the etching techniques I use in much of my other work.