Q. How long have you been making jewelry?

A. I received my BFA in Metals & Jewelry Design in 2009 & have been working full-time as a jeweler since then.

Q. How did you get into metalsmithing?

A. I met a jeweler, Noel Steinman, when I was a kid & loved his jewelry. When I was in high school, he took me under his wing & taught me how to forge & manipulate metal at his shop/studio. That was when I knew I wanted to be a metalsmith.

Q. Where do you get your ideas for your designs?

A. I often dream about creations & let this guide my design process. I’ll see specific stones, shapes, symbols & even hear words that lead me through the process- there’s a specific feeling to these dreams & I consider this channeled information. I am especially drawn to textiles from all over the world & these textiles often inspire patterns and shapes which I use within the details of a design.

Q. How long does it take to make a piece?

A. It can take me anywhere from a few hours to 50+ hours to complete a piece. Simpler designs tend take just a few hours, while elaborate custom designs take 50+ hours.

Q. How is your jewelry made?

A. These days most of my creations are fabricated by hand starting with raw wire, sheet metal & natural gemstones. I occasionally make designs which are created in a computer program & 3d printed in wax, then cast these into metal. I also have the capabilities to hand-carve designs in wax & cast into metal. It really just depends on the project as to which approach I will take to create it.

Q. Where do you get your gemstones?

A. Most of the larger gemstones that I work with are cut & polished by myself in my studio. The gemstone slabs I work with have mostly been picked up at gem shows or rock shops while traveling. Most of my small faceted stones from a gem manufacturer out of India, and diamonds come from a reputable jewelry supplier that certify stones are conflict-free.

Q. I like a design that has sold. can you remake it?

A. Yes, I would be happy to remake a piece for you. This is typically approached as a custom creation, but without the extensive design time needed the $300 minimum does not apply (in cases that the design is priced lower). Reach out here to start the conversation.

Q. Do you take custom designs?

A. I do! For more information on how to work with me, please take a look at the custom design page HERE

Q. can you repair my jewelry?

A. If it is something that I have created for you, then I am happy to repair your jewelry. Otherwise, I typically don’t take on repairs or resizing rings.

Q. Can you repurpose my old jewelry

A. Absolutely! This type of work falls under custom design work & I encourage you to browse my custom design page HERE

Q. How do you price your work?

A. The price of a piece is determined based off the materials used & the time it takes on my bench to complete the design from start to finish.

Q. Do you sell in any shops?

A. Yes, I currently sell my work out of my studio & showroom at The Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles, MO. I also offer limited range of work at the beautiful Union Studio in St. Louis, MO.

Q. Will this metal turn my finger green?

A. If you typically react to base metal, then you can expect a similar reaction with my Brass & Bronze creations. Sterling Silver & 14K Gold designs won’t cause this kind of reaction.

Q. Does your work contain nickel?

A. No, none of the metals on I work with contain nickel.