You also studied at the San Francisco Art
Institute - how did that period differ from
your time with Bill Ford?
My time at SFAI was vastly different than
learning with Bill. SFAI was and continues to be a
powerhouse for teaching students the conceptual
aspects of their chosen field. My time there
allowed me to hone in on the ‘why’ behind my
work, which is a great gift to have as an artist. It’s
one thing to create pieces because it’s fun and
cathartic, and there’s a lot to be said for that. It’s
nice when you can also talk about it and
understand it as an entire cohesive piece. Jewelry
doesn’t have to tell a story if you don’t want it to,
but it’s nice to know how to tell that story when
the time comes.
I have seen the videos from your studio and I
am always impressed with the numerous skill
sets you possess. Can you give us a list of
some of those skills and did you learn most of
them during your studies or have you been
picking them up since that time?
Wow, thanks! It’s easy to feel like you don’t
know what you’re doing until someone asks you
a question about your craft and a waterfall of
words cascades out of your mouth. One of my
friends is interested in learning how to work with
metal, and I found myself sending him an
overabundance of information. It was at that
point that the little lightbulb above my head
turned on and I realized, “Oh, I guess I do know
how to do this.” I say that because most of what
I’ve learned has been bit by bit, along the way.
It’s when you stand back that you can see the
whole picture of how far you’ve come, and
everything you’ve learned. Basic lessons like how
to use your acetylene tanks and soldering came
from my first classes with Bill, but most of my
daily practice has come from trial and error.
Whether it’s stone cutting, sand casting, or the
fine craft of not accidentally injuring yourself
with your own tools, those are all skills that are
learned along the way.
74
THE CONE - ISSUE #15 - 2018