My parents and grandfather are biologists; from them I learned to inspect the world in detail.
For years, I have seen my jewelry as an exploration of the juxtaposition of nature with the
manmade world and its industry, trash, and future. From the beauty and design of seedpods,
leaves, flowers and microorganisms to my “corrugated life” pieces based on ideas of post-
industrial rebirth and inspired by patterns found in old cardboard, I design and handcraft
jewelry in an intuitive process that begins with laying out designs for three-dimensional objects
directly on sheet metal with an awl and dividers. I build up dimension and texture through
shell forming, folding, forging, punching, repousse and chasing techniques. Through trial and
error I decide how best to connect seemingly disparate shapes into unified, wearable, and
often interactive pieces by weaving, soldering, fusing and riveting.
Moving from Dallas, Texas, to a small town in the mountains of western Argentina two years
ago, has altered the underlying themes of my work to a much lesser degree than I had
imagined possible. I cannot help but be inspired by the beautiful high desert scenery that
surrounds me; however, even in our town of 1500 there is still no escape from the universal
human evils of trash, habitat destruction and pollution. If anything, these urban problems
seem magnified when placed before the backdrop of the immense, wild landscape. The list of
materials encountered in my work has indeed grown longer, and now includes found wood,
thorns, and scrap steel from the much loved junkyard that came with our house, along with
the usual brass, copper, recycled precious metals, stones, “urbanite” or worn concrete and
glass that I form into “urban coral” with a torch.
For years, I have seen my jewelry as an exploration of the juxtaposition of nature with the
manmade world and its industry, trash, and future. From the beauty and design of seedpods,
leaves, flowers and microorganisms to my “corrugated life” pieces based on ideas of post-
industrial rebirth and inspired by patterns found in old cardboard, I design and handcraft
jewelry in an intuitive process that begins with laying out designs for three-dimensional objects
directly on sheet metal with an awl and dividers. I build up dimension and texture through
shell forming, folding, forging, punching, repousse and chasing techniques. Through trial and
error I decide how best to connect seemingly disparate shapes into unified, wearable, and
often interactive pieces by weaving, soldering, fusing and riveting.
Moving from Dallas, Texas, to a small town in the mountains of western Argentina two years
ago, has altered the underlying themes of my work to a much lesser degree than I had
imagined possible. I cannot help but be inspired by the beautiful high desert scenery that
surrounds me; however, even in our town of 1500 there is still no escape from the universal
human evils of trash, habitat destruction and pollution. If anything, these urban problems
seem magnified when placed before the backdrop of the immense, wild landscape. The list of
materials encountered in my work has indeed grown longer, and now includes found wood,
thorns, and scrap steel from the much loved junkyard that came with our house, along with
the usual brass, copper, recycled precious metals, stones, “urbanite” or worn concrete and
glass that I form into “urban coral” with a torch.
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