Exhibiting Artist

My work is primarily influenced by my fascination with forms and their interior spaces, by color, and by my affinity for the natural world and the allure it holds for me. I feel that we are all connected to nature and to one another on a very primal level.

I use traditional metalsmithing techniques, such as shell forming, piercing, and enameling as well as contemporary and experimental techniques like torch fired liquid enamels. Traditionally, I have used kiln firing exclusively in my enamel work, but for the past five years, I have been working with liquid form white enamel and torch-firing techniques as well. All of the color variation in these pieces come from the extremely high heat of the acetylene torch, which when precisely controlled, will draw the oxides of the copper base metal up through the enamel layer to create organic patterns and colors in a completely unique way. Each piece in this series is one-of-a-kind and could never be replicated exactly because of all the varying factors that go into each stage of the process. The hand-drawn sgraffito designs are often my graphic interpretations of patterns found in nature, such as seagrasses blowing in the breeze, silhouettes of rolling hills, or curling vines.

I love creating these pieces that not only speak to my love for the natural world, but also fuel my passion for the materials and techniques that have been used for many centuries and have a rich history of their own. I am honored to be able to put my own life into them and make unique and beautiful pieces to put out into the world.