Growing up in Tulsa, Oklahoma I loved drawing, painting, printmaking,
photography, enameling, working with clay and making sculptures from
found objects. I spent many weekends and summers in the galleries and gardens of
the Philbrook Art Museum, as well as taking art in the museum school.
Some of my favorite things growing up were beaded necklaces, and rings
and bracelets made of silver by Native American or Mexican artists. I
loved the natural materials that were used in that jewelry.
As an Art Major at Austin College in Sherman, Texas, I began to incorporate
metalsmithing into sculptures and two-dimensional work.
When I moved to Raleigh, I began taking blacksmithing and jewelry classes and
workshops. I love the way metals respond to pressure and heat, patina
and polishing. I often include semi-precious stones and beads in my
work, as well as stamped, pressed and rolled textures. I have been
making jewelry for over twenty years and teach classes at Pullen Arts
Center in Raleigh.
