I do know that I would want to get to know who that person is, which is difficult to do solely with words, but here is something.

Feel free to email me with any suggestions!

It's funny to look back and see where you've been knowing the steps that have got you to where you are, but the 'what lies ahead' is for the creating and it's a bit scary and exciting. I want to stand in the excitement of it and conquer the fear!

I feel as if I've always been in love with life. There is so much to experience, to learn, to love...it's the focusing that is the more difficult part for me. My mind wandering quickly from what I'm doing to what is there that can be done next. My sister, Toni, is great influence in that area for me. She sets one task in front of me and says 'go' and it's done. Unfortunately she does not live in the same town.

My family has given me a sense that the world is a kind place. Not that we never fought and all was ideal, but they are good, kind, caring people and left me with a benevolent sense of the world.

I think that my Mom opened our eyes to the beauty in the world. We were without a television for years, by my parent’s choice, and we did art projects. My Mom always seemed to be pointing out the colors, shapes, textures, and light in our world. She would talk about the beautiful mountains in El Paso, the sunlight hitting the high spots creating shadows, the contrast of the colors, etc. I'd go around and collect pretty sticks and rocks...

How they did it I don't know, but my Mom & Dad piled the four kids into our yellow station wagon and for two weeks a year we'd travel to someplace we hadn't been before. I still love the adventure of traveling to explore.

As an adult, traveling across the United States, Canada, and Europe has given me endless sources of inspiration. I’ve always been fascinated by different cultures, how people live, what are their beliefs, their art, symbols, etc. There are all these individuals in the world that have different experiences that we can learn from. I do believe no matter where we live, or what our beliefs are we are all humans! We all make judgments about others, but shouldn't those judgments be based on the character of a person not on skin color. How is it that prejudice based on skin color exists?

Oh boy do I digress...

So, my first position after college was with an airline. Not my cup of tea, but I loved that I could hop on a plane and travel to a new place whenever I felt like it.

Then a chance meeting at a trade show got me excited about technology and ended up in the sales and marketing end of the computer industry. I love innovation and if it hadn't have been for a company that I didn't like working for I may still be there. Instead, I decided to leave the company and I traveled and took art classes for a couple of years.

At the point that I thought I best get a job, I got back to rocks, well, semi precious stones and started stringing necklaces and earrings, and walked into a store to shop and walked out as the GM! I had a place to sell my wares for over 2 years. I left the store to work up in Camden, Maine on the tall ships up there. MaineWindJammers

It was an INCREDIBLE experience. I never felt so much like myself before!

So when I came back from that experience, a girlfriend of mine who is a blacksmith, Adele Riffe, suggested that I take a silversmithing class. Well, I did and I fell in LOVE with metal. I found my passion. My jewelry instructor got a call from a woman who was looking for some help…he thought of me…and I ended up working with Susan for a little over 2 years working in gold producing her line of jewelry and getting a first hand look at a production studio. With her business changing directions it was time to leave and either get a job with someone else or take the leap and do it on my own! I took the leap!

I've gone down several roads to find my way in making a living selling my wares. It's been frustrating, but a learning experience that I continue to grow with. I really get that 'I just have to do it' feeling now. I love it and I see that I can make a statement in by creating conversation pieces with the intention of making a difference in this world of ours.

I create pieces in wax first and cast, or directly in metal to create pendants, earrings, bracelets, rings, belt buckles, etc. with silver & gold, semiprecious stones & gemstones. All items are handcrafted in Austin, TX.

My intention with my pieces is to help remind myself and others of our vision of what we want to accomplish in life, of what we value, and of who we desire to be, long to be...now…or just have fun creating something!