Artist Profile
I love the process of designing a new piece: thinking about color, balance, texture, and form. I spend many hours searching gem shows to find distinctive stones to include in my work. Each piece that I make is the culmination not only of this searching, but of time spent imagining many variations leading to the final design, and of the actual creation of the work.
Awards
• 3rd Place:
2008 Sawdust Art Festival Peer Awards, Jewelry
• Honorable Mention:
2007 Saddleback College Annual Juried Student Art Exhibitionn
About the Work
A piece of jewelry begins with a flat sheet of metal, wire, gemstones — and an idea. The piece is then fabricated from these raw materials. The techniques include:
• sawing—cutting sheet metal to the desired shape with a
fine-bladed jeweler’s hand saw,
• soldering—connecting pieces of metal with an acetylene
torch, using temperatures of approximately 1600 °F,
• hammering—shaping and texturing metal,
• chain mail—interlocking individual rings to create
intricate patterns,
• and an assortment of other methods!
Education
Certified Gemologist: Santiago Canyon College, CA (2007)
Jewelry Fabrication: Saddleback College, CA
Master Workshops: Michael David Sturlin, Cynthia Eid, Jay Whaley.
Graphic Design: University of California Irvine, CA (1994)
Bachelor’s Degree: Rice University, TX (1984)