After many years of jewelry casting and fabricating the shift to larger pieces seems a natural progression. My work in steel with ceramic or stone elements is fabricated in my studio in southeastern Arizona. I enjoy discovering and exploring new materials to use in combination with the steel and love searching for rusted metal treasures to add to tables, dividers, and mirrors. Inspiration comes from the forms and colors of the desert and the multi-culturalism of the people of the Southwest.

Sketches are translated into welded steel utilizing tubing and rod that is bent, or sheetmetal cut and formed, or I sometimes just start with a heap of weird rusty parts and start welding. The welded metal pieces are then ground and sandblasted prior to patinas being applied. The patinas are applied hot or cold and colors are layered by brushing, sponging, or spraying; then the pieces are sealed, waxed and buffed. Most finishes are suitable for outdoor use with some maintenance. The birdbaths are produced to function in an outside environment. Production of the ceramic bowls became necessary to complete the birdbaths. I hand build the bowls and have begun sculpting ceramic elements to add interest to other pieces. The bowls are glazed with colors to complement the bases and fired to over 2000 degrees for durability.

Ron, my part-time studio assistant, keeps me supplied with metal cut to my specifications and prepped for welding. He also applies some of the base patinas, seals and waxes the finished pieces, rolls the clay slabs for bowls, and, helps get me on the road.