Leaves on a Branch Necklace

My work is inspired by the natural world, not just things I see, but those that touch my other senses, the plaintive cry of a nuthatch, water tumbling over rocks, the velvet-fisted buds and fragrant blooms of hobblebush. These things bring me pictures. My job is to distill the pictures into pure form, to make them come alive in metal. That is the way every art form is for me: I see what’s there and imagine what’s not. There is something thrilling and deeply satisfying about making something new. When asked if I have a favorite piece I have made, one I am especially pleased with, I say, “The one I am making now. The one I am making now is always the most compelling. And the one I will make next.”