I started drawing when I was little and just never stopped; that turned into painting and illustration in high school, and finally Fine Metals (Jewelry) and Blacksmithing in college. I’ve always been passionate about learning new crafts and skills and refining those skills as much as I can, and this really broadened the scope of my work, especially in the past 10 years.
My favorite metalworking process is called Piercing, or “Drawing by Sawing” to quote one of my classmates. It involves drilling a hole in a sheet of metal and using a saw to cut out an outline drawn on the surface, creating an image with the negative space (removed metal). I really enjoy the process, its meditative and relaxing to me, and I’ve managed to get very intricate with the designs I can create with this method.
For subject matter, I love the contrast between mechanical and organic structures and finding ways to emphasize the difference in my work, while melding it together at the same time. It’s certainly a challenge but it’s always worth it to me.