During the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college (21 years ago), I took a job at a costume jewelry store run by a cranky old lady who tried very hard not to teach me how to make any jewelry. Somehow I managed to learn to do some basic repairs, string beads, and knot pearls. My folks bought me a green tackle box to carry my half dozen handtools and growing bead collection back to college. My first "jewelry show" was in the lobby of my dorm, where I hung earrings all around the top edges of the lamp shades. I made close to a thousand dollars. I was hooked.
Semi Self-Taught
About 8 years ago I began to try my hand at some small scale forging. Eventually I took a basic metalsmithing class. Then another. Then another. And another. I say of myself that I am semi-self taught because my skills have not come from formal jewelry training nor apprenticeship, rather from workshops, one-on-one tutorials, and years of willingness to destroy a little metal on my own in pursuit of a good technique.
My Work Today
Tortured Hearts: one-of-a kind heart pendants
For 18 years people asked me for heart jewelry. I scoffed, telling them if they want heart jewelry to go to the mall. One day a friend asked me for a heart necklace and before she could finish I cut in saying, "I'm not going to make you any silly, saccharine heart jewelry because if I did it would be broken, tattered, torn, beaten up, full of holes, patched, and maybe set on fire!" That's when it hit me. I could make a heart like that. Let's face it, if you've lived or loved very much at all your heart probably has some wear & tear.
The Pitted Surface: a line of heavily textured work
This line allows me to focus my play with a broad range of surface altering techniques. Layering and blending everything from reticulation to chasing, I do small-scale production of earrings, rings, bracelets, pendants, neckpieces, and cuff links.
