About Me

I am an artist who makes stuff.

Many years ago, with the exuberance of youth and a love of texture, color and architectural details, I went to college to become an Interior Designer. I worked in various retail positions over several years (paying my dues) until finally I went out on my own. When I defined my own work, it was not unusual to find me in the back yard spray painting or faux finishing a Client’s furniture or making lamps out of flea market finds. I found very quickly that I really enjoyed doing the artistic parts of my work much more than the big picture work. When the business closed in 1994, I decided to get a “regular job” and begin taking lots of art classes.

I took classes in painting, drawing, composition, clay – wheel and hand-building, stained glass, warm glass, bead making, and jewelry making. I pursued my arts in my spare time while working in a demanding corporate world.

In September of 2001, I decided that life was too short to only do what I loved in my “spare” time. We began the search for the perfect basement, and finally found it in 2003 (we liked the house, too). I unpacked my supplies and set up shop in my unfinished basement. In 2007, I went part time at my “real Job” and in 2008 we extended every bit of credit we could find to finish up our perfect (for us) studios. In 2010, my plan was thrown into a tail spin when the company I worked for closed our division.

For several months, I tried to accelerate my art business into making a living. It didn’t take long to remember all the stress and uncertainty that comes from running your own business. I also realized that I’m not as focused or as driven as I was in my younger years. I finally realized (almost too late) that I had to go back to work. We are still struggling with the financial repercussions of my months of not working.

Now, I’m playing a balancing game again. It’s difficult to find time and energy for taking care of myself, spending time with my family and working full time. I love the times when I can get downstairs and let my creativity run loose!

I’m currently taking it day by day. I’m still learning and growing as an artist, whenever I do find time. I hope to always be developing as an artist. I enjoy exploring what different mediums will do, how they behave and how they can mix with other mediums. At times in the last few years, I’ve felt like a pretender around my fellow students because I’m not really a jeweler or a potter or a glass artist. Then, I finally came to terms with my own creative path.

I am an artist who makes jewelry, clay pieces and mixed media art works.