After a lifetime of work in higher education, culminating as Dean of the College of Professional Studies at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, I eased into the art world around 2000. I am now a full-time fine jewelry artist trying to make a business out of this bubbling passion. This life shift dropped me into a student role again, adrift in the sea of things to learn and humble before those w
ho preceded me. Learning a whole new field at my age brought me revelations, tears, and faint memories of youthful learning journeys. My teachers and mentors made my art possible. I like shapes that remind me of life situations (my “Metaphors in Metal” series, for example), starkly simple shapes, and combinations that draw your surprised eye. I love contrast in form and similarity in color. Incorporating stones into metal designs delights me. I dream of new designs, smiling in my sleep. Most of all, I want each piece to intrigue the viewer. I work in sterling silver, fabricating my own findings and using old-fashioned tools, as well as some time-saving modern inventions. My home studio keeps me working all year without worrying about the weather. When I emerge from the studio, I play tennis with giddy abandon, deal bridge with my laughing friends, read a Kindle while I walk the treadmill, volunteer, and waive an eco-flag over all I do. I’m a full time, award-winning silversmith with jewelry being shown at galleries, museums and exhibits from coast to coast.
