Currently, my primary focus is to make one-of-a-kind jewelry. One-of-a-kind pieces (OOAK) usually take a great deal of time. To offset that I design and build some pieces that can be recreated fairly easily. Each with small differences that keep the item unique. My fondness for nature can be seen incorporated in my jewelry. When a stone is used in my work, it is because something within it fascinates me, or is necessary to make the design come alive. I prefer to procure my stones from ethical vendors. So I often attend gem and mineral shows and even rock hunts when in an interesting area. Gardening taught me the value of texture. I incorporate texture with various tools, hammers, rolling mills, and even items from nature. I use a hydraulic press to create adornments for my pieces. Most of these derive from impression dies that were created in Europe and the US before 1940. This hand-carved impression dies are from a lost industry often sold for scrap. However, there is a tool maker in Tucson, AZ that is trying his best to save these dies and make them available to artisans. I enjoy blending this type of art history into my own designs. You will see that I prefer oxidized matte and satin finishes over a mirror finish in my jewelry designs. Being a fine jeweler who sets faceted gems has never been my goal. I prefer to create artistic, unique, hand-crafted jewelry that owners can wear comfortably and pass on to others when the time is right. I find I work best with a wide variety of pieces instead of a single item at a time. My bench typically has up to a dozen projects in process at any given time. My designs benefit from this organic process with changes and adjustments happening naturally as the final design reveals itself. My sketchbook has frequent modifications as the original design evolves to its finished look.