Artist Statement
The primary focus of my jewelry is always the stones so designs tend to be clean and minimalist with the intent of providing a frame for the stones in each one-of-a-kind piece using sterling silver gold and other metals. The jewelry and cabochons are handcrafted by me and the beach stones are collected along the shores of Lake Michigan. Primary influences and inspiration come from nature spirit architecture and geometric aesthetics and most of my work is intuitive in the sense that though I do some sketches few pieces are visualized in the final form prior to actual fabrication. It’s a process which may start as a seed in the sketchbook with loose stones sprawled in front of me but doesn’t truly germinate until the materials begin to come together to produce the final piece of jewelry. The metal structure serves its purpose best when it becomes almost forgotten to simply showcase the stone(s) with a fresh perspective and create a wearable work of art from the earth.