How long have you been creating?

Early childhood. So 30 years. My family is very artistic and since I am the youngest, I always wanted to do what the older kids were doing. I started sculpting when I was about 13 and tried many different mediums through my teens. In my early 20's when I got my first apartment. I started painting out of necessity. I didn't have the money to go buy art for the walls, so I just painted a few wild abstracts to go on the wall. I really loved how it made me feel. I realized there is a huge part of me that has to be creating something on a regular basis to make me feel complete.

What other artists or movements inform your work/aesthetics/sensibilities?

Since I got into art glass, I would say my favorite artist is Dale Chihuly. He creates these huge glass sculptures that are just awe inspiring. I have also been trained in Reiki, so I like to think of healing when creating my pieces. I ask myself, what feeling is this going to evoke in the person who gets this piece. If I don't get a good feeling when I am done, I will take apart my work and start over. My style tends to run more modern than anything else.

How would you describe your work?

Music to the ears, mesmerizing to watch, and soothing to the soul. It's like getting two pieces of art in one piece. First there is the beauty of the chime itself. Plus the reflections from the glass, creates its own beauty.

What are you motivations for creating?

It really just depends on my mood when I start a piece. If I am in a funky mood, I use lots of color. If I am in a serene mood, I usually use clear & white glass. My main motivation is that I LOVE doing it. It is just a great way for me to de-stress. It is just part of me and it feels so natural.

What do you find visually stimulating right now?

Reflection, light and color. I am really into orange and fushia right now.

Tell us a little about what goes into creating a typical piece for you (without giving away any trade secrets, of course!)

The hardest part of creating the chimes is coming up with new and fresh ideas for the base of the chimes. I am constently looking at things going what can I do with that, what can I turn that into. Most of my pieces take about 7-15 hours to create, so I really want to plan it out before I launch into it.

What would you like your fellow EBSQ artists and our collectors to know about you and/or your work?

First, I would like to let everyone at EBSQ know, I wish I had more time to get to know you all. The few people I have talked to are wonderful. I have a full time job and spend all my extra time on my art. Special thanks to Dianne and Victor McGhee for introducing me to EBSQ. They are simply awesome people! To the collector, I really put my heart and soul into my work. I think it shows, so keep watching.