My interest in kiln fused glass and jewelry began in the fall of 2003 when I signed up for a glass art class at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts.  I was immediately hooked. Since then I have been having more fun than I could imagine - creating beautiful, colorful pieces of glass to incorporate into jewelry, sculptures, bowls and vases.

The beauty of teaching in the Metals and Jewelry Department at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts is the opportunity to experiment with a variety of techniques and processes.  My work includes hand designed glass art pieces that I shape on a lapidary and fire polish in the kiln, some of which are beveled to a pyramid shape.  I also cut and shape a variety of stones and slabs including Fordite, Leland Bluestone, beach glass and 2000 year old Roman Glass.  I enjoy traveling the world and wherever I go, I look for local stones, glass and other interesting elements to include in my work.

My jewelry pieces frequently are set and paired with metals including sterling silver, copper, brass and Precious Metal Clay.  I incorporate a variety of techniques for setting stones and glass including bezel setting, prong setting and tube setting. I also incorporate fold forming, corrugating, forging and a variety of texturing techniques.  A recent series called “Junk Yard” jewelry involves soldering metal scrap to sheet metal and designing pendants, earrings, rings and bracelets from asymmetrical materials.

I enjoy creating larger glass art sculptures, wall pieces, bowls and vases. I love to pair kiln fused and lamp worked glass with other media including handmade paper, water colors, metals, and encaustics.  It is interesting to see how different media complement and interact with each other.

I enjoy teaching both jewelry making and kiln fused glass art to students of a variety of ages and skill levels.  Teaching art inspires me to continuously improve and expand my skills and interests.

Thanks so much for your interest in my work.  I love to share my experiences and ideas with others.