Milwaukee Area Technical College
Metalsmithing
1989-1990
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
BFA - Major: Painting/Drawing
1980-1984,1986
"400 Polymer Clay Designs", Book, Lark Books,
2004
"Art Jewelry Today", Book, Donna Z Meilach, 2003
Bead and Button Magazine, Artist Profile, April 2002
"Jewellery Design in the 21st Century", Book, Claude Mazloum, Gremese
International s.r.l., Rome, 1999
The Eclectic Collection, 1998
"Bead Art", Book, Kalmbach Publishing,
1998
Lapidary Journal, April 1998
Ornament Magazine, Summer 1998
The Beaded Object, Exhibition Catalog, 1996
“The Art of Erotic Jewellery”, Book, Claude Mazloum, Gremese International
s.r.l., Rome, 1995
Cape Cod Antiques and Art, Review of Bare Essentials Show, August, 1995
Art Muscle, Invited to design Barbie bathing suit in metal, Feb/Mar, 1993
Best of Show, Cuneo Gardens Art Festival, Vernon Hills, IL, 2007
Award of Excellence, Suburban Fine Arts Festival of
Fine Craft, Highland Park, IL, 2004
Honorable Mention, Morning Glory Craft Fair, Milwaukee WI, 2003
Best of Show, Deerfield Art Festival, Deerfield, IL, 2003
Award of Excellence, Morning Glory Art Fair, Milwaukee, WI, 2001
1st Place, Oakbrook Invitational, Oak Brook, IL, 2001
1st Place, Waukesha Art Fest, Waukesha, WI, 2000
Merit Award, Edina Art Fair, Edina, MN, 2000
Best in Category, Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts, Oconomowoc, WI, 2000
Award of Excellence, Morning Glory Art Fair, Milwaukee, WI, 2000
Best in Category, Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts, Oconomowoc, WI, 1999
Merit Award, Arts Eats & Beats, Pontiac, MI 1999
Award of Excellence, Morning Glory Art Fair, Milwaukee, WI, 1999
Best of Show, Downers Grove Fine Arts Fair, Downers Grove, IL, 1999
Best of Show, Downers Grove Fine Arts Fair, Downers Grove, IL, 1998
Best of Show, Powderhorn Fine Art Fair, Minneapolis, MN, 1998
First Place, Peoria Fine Art Fair, Peoria, IL, 1998
Merit Award, Riverssance Art Fair, Davenport, IA, 1996
Best of Show, John Michael Kohler Annual Arts Festival, Kohler, WI, 1996
Treasures, Nov 2, 2002 - Jan 5, 2003, Artspace and
the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI - Kohler, WI - Milwaukee,
WI
Beadworks, May 23 - Sep 13, 1998, The Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center, Athens,
OH
The Beaded Object, Traveling schedule: Jan 1998 - Feb 1998, Florida Craftsmen
Gallery, St. Petersburg, FL - Oct 1997 - Jan 1998, William King Regional
Art Center, Abingdon, VA
The Beaded Object, Oct 1996 - Jan 1997, Southern Highland Craft Guild Folk
Art Center, Ashville, N.C.
Ornament Show, 1995, Signature Gallery, Mashpee/Boston/Chestnut Hill, MA
Bare Essentials, 1995, Signature Gallery Mashpee/Boston/Chestnut Hill, MA
Celebration of the Nude, 1992, Katie Gingrass Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
Edgewood Orchard Galleries, 2005, Fish Creek, WI
Edgewood Orchard Galleries, 2003, Fish Creek, WI
Eclectic Collector Gallery, 2001, Katonah, N.Y.
Edgewood Orchard Galleries, 2001, Fish Creek, WI
Edgewood Orchard Galleries, 1997, Fish Creek, WI
The Ole Moon Gallery, 1996, Dallas, TX
The Lindsey Gallery, 1996, Oak Park, IL
Art Resources Gallery, 1995, Edina, MN
Detroit Gallery of Contemporary Crafts, 1994, Detroit, MI
The focus of my jewelry is predominately figurative. I hand fabricate my stylized people using small chasing and repousse tools to create arms, legs and other dimensional details. I fashion my faces from polymer clay using a hybrid molding / sculpting technique, then further define the details with washes of acrylic paints and chalks to achieve the doll like appearance that I desire. After polishing the metal and setting any necessary stones I then construct the beaded hair by sewing each and every strand. When completed I attach it to the metal using a technique that I developed and has become my signature look. I also include carved stone bases or frames with the more elaborate pieces because I view them as small-scale sculpture. I would like them to not only adorn the wearer but also the environment in which they reside.
