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 I love to take a thought and mold it into physical existence as a piece of art that can be looked at, touched and pondered by others. I’ve enjoyed building things from the time I was a young boy growing up with my brother on our family’s farm along the Snake River in Southern Idaho. My father had a full fabrication shop set up with all the welders, cutting torches and other equipment necessary to repair or build what we needed. He taught my brother and me how to weld when we were 10 or 11 years old and soon found all the metal he kept for repairs and building things welded together. It didn't make him very happy when he needed a piece and had to cut it apart before he could use it. Fortunately, we put our newfound talent to use later. When I was 14, we built a set of tank racks for one of our tractors and I got to do most of the welding. Later, in high school, I built an oak dining room table for my grandparents that won first prize in our regional competition. It took first prize from Grandma, too – she still uses that table today. After high school, I went to a yearlong welding program at Boise State University and then worked as a welder for about a year before joining the army. I spent three years at Fort Campbell, Kentucky in the 101st airborne infantry. After the army I moved to Seattle, Washington and worked at a few fabrication shops for a year or so, fitting and welding. Then I went to work for a company that was geared more towards construction. We did everything from structural steel to ornamental and architectural metal work for high-end residential and commercial projects. We also did seasonal displays for Nordstrom stores. Having just spent three years in the infantry, I was more interested in doing the structural steel work, which seemed more macho and manly. After a couple of years, however, my interest turned to the decorative side of metal work. I started building elaborate staircases and architectural structures, which led to working with the designers, architects and builders. After four years honing my skills, I ventured out and started my own company doing ornamental and architectural metal work for mainly high-end waterfront homes. The beauty, quality and craftsmanship of the work we produced frequently elicited descriptions of it as art. This always made me proud, but not completely satisfied. By the time I had paid the employees, the taxes and all the other expenses that go along with running a business, I was exhausted both physically and mentally. I had my business in Seattle for seven years before moving to Fountain Hills, Arizona in 2001. Since then I have been focusing more on the sculptural side of metal work. Nature has a big influence on my work - from the metals, which are supplied by nature, to the sights, shapes, smells, sounds, tastes and textures that she provides us all the time. These “constantly changing consistencies” keep things interesting to me. My art is like a snapshot of my thoughts and emotions, hammered and fashioned into my expressions of them. Thank you for visiting my website. I hope you enjoy my work as much as I enjoyed creating it. |
