I gained my appreciation of hammers and tools from my father, and design and style from my mother. My love of stones and texture brings all of this together in my work as a jewelry artist.

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As a child I was often found rummaging around in my mom's jewelry box imagining ways to re-combine her jewels. I collected stones and shells everywhere I went and I learned to use tools helping my father with his weekend construction and woodworking projects.

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With that combination, how could I not love creating jewelry?

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I began designing jewelry in high school, but left it behind when I went to college and focused my creative design skills in other areas, but I always had a hand in art; photography, interior design, painting. After leaving the high tech world I could no longer resist the desire to work with metal and stones again.

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In 2006 I began working with metal clay and looking at ways to incorporate it into my metal smithing work. In 2009 I added metal clay to my teaching and became a senior instructor for PMC Connection, teaching levels 1 - 3.

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I love teaching; watching the development of skills and the freeing of creativity that happens in classes. Helping students see beyond their self-criticism so they can recognize and develop their own voice. In addition to teaching techniques and projects, I see my responsibility as an instructor to support the whole student. And I am always fascinated by what my students come up with in class.