To me, writing an "About the Artist" page always feels a little like writing a bad personal ad. "I'm inspired by long walks on the beach and...".  A place for me to spout tired cliches about how I always wanted to be an artist (I didn't - as a kid I wanted to be either a dancer, a bank robber or the cartoon character She-Ra), and give you the deep dark secrets to my inspiration. 

 

But here's the really deep dark secret - I don't get "inspiration". In a group of artists I’ve always felt a bit like a fraud. Everyone else seems to have deep, beautiful, important meaning behind their art and I’m over here trying to explain what I created with "I thought it was funny" or "because I wanted to see if I could do it”.  

 

Which is why I fell in love with stone inlay art.  It’s the only medium I’ve found that provides me with a never ending series of challenges. Is it possible to capture something as delicate as a dragonfly wing with stone? Yes, I can do it.  How about something as fluid as a reflection? Figured that one out too. The color fades in a sunset? Eventually I’ve started to get a handle on that.  But so far I keep finding ways to make inlay art harder. There are still boundaries to be pushed, new combinations of mediums to try.  What happens if I try to add depth? What if I add resin to my process?  What makes art fun for me is the idea that it might not be possible.  I love creating something that no one knew was possible until I made it. It’s a little bit like being a magician - but with power tools. 

 

Gradually it’s dawned on me that, for me, art is probably never going to be this mystical ideal that provokes "deep" conversations.  It's adding a little fun and beauty to everyday things and day-to-day life.  And power tools.