I was born in Pennsylvania and with many stops along the way, now live and work in Fairbanks, Alaska. I’ve always had more creative energy than I’ve known what to do with. I completed my foundation year at Tyler School of Art right out of high school, then joined the Army after feeling the pressure of paying for school. Among many things, the Army introduced me to digital graphic design and “marketing” principles as a Psyop Specialist. These skills transferred back to civilian jobs in graphic design and marketing. In 2004 I moved to Fairbanks, AK and worked at UAF as an instructional designer for just shy of 22 years, tying together the collection of broad design and communication skills I had collected over the years. During this time I completed my BFA, with a focus on sculpture and metalsmithing. I had the distinct pleasure of working alongside the members of the phenomenally talented members of the media team at the UAF Center for Teaching and Learning before UAF dissolved our unit. I now work in my home studio as a metalsmith and freelance graphic designer.
While working at UAF, I discovered that the intersection of metalsmithing and sculpture is the perfect outlet for my energy and a voice for things that are hard to put into words. My pieces usually take shape from metal, stone, and glass – each with tactile qualities that invite the viewer to hold, use or wear them. Recent work explores the context of geographic location through imagined wayfinding devices. The devices are manifestations of personal journeys which allude to the unseen influences that direct all of us around the earth in one way or another. Mapping and wayfinding conventions are the vernacular through which I processes my journeys. The natural world brings constant inspiration.
