I moved to the mountains of Western North Carolina in 1983 from the Detroit area of Michigan. Working with arts & crafts all my life, mostly as a hobbyist, I was drawn to a stained glass class offered through a local college in 1990. I became immediately addicted after the first day and ended up staying for 6 years and now I’ve been teaching were I started since 2005. In 1996 I was juried into the prestigious Southern Highland Craft Guild and in 2009, I started teaching at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC.
My original designs are constructed predominately in the copper foil method of stained glass made famous by Tiffany but I do sometime work the traditional lead came method and I’ve been known to combine the two techniques together. I love working with the rich jewel tones of glass as well as heavily textured clear glasses. The styles range from traditional to geometric/abstract and signature pieces incorporate materials not usually found in stained glass such as geode slices, mineral specimens and vintage glass jewels. If light shines through it and it won’t melt when I solder it, I’ll include it in the design. I also enjoy embellishing a piece with hammered brass or copper wire to add fine details and then by adding decorative soldering touches, it creates texture and a three dimensionality to the artwork. The panels are usually finished with either brass, copper or zinc came, and in select pieces, I use a unique process of "sculpting" the came that encases the finished piece in a way that becomes part of the design, not just the supporting structure. My inspiration for designs come from everything around me, but I’m strongly influenced by contemporary adornment arts. I like to consider my work as "Jewelry for your Windows."
Custom Entry Door and Sidelight
I especially enjoy working with clients to develop original, one-of-a-kind design possibilities for specific sites, sometimes starting with only a concept or idea. Types of commissions include; fixed windows or free hanging panels for entryway doors & sidelights, transoms, kitchen & other home furnishing cabinet doors.