Play with Fire

I grew up in the Portola and Bayview neighborhoods of San Francisco. Around 1968, I worked as a kid fixing beveled and stained glass windows in San Francisco for various moving companies. At Lick-Wilermding High School, I took a machine shop class, learned to cast metal and started making jewelry. I eventually got a Telegraph Ave. street artist permit when I was 16. I sold my jewelry in Berkeley from 1972-1979.

I worked for the City for 40 years in various positions starting as a stationary engineer at City College. I moved on to DPW and finally I retired at the PUC as a superintendent.

I worked in the Bayview and would go play with fire at Public Glass after my shift.

After having two kids in the early ‘80’s, I started making beaded glass jewelry. In the late ‘90’s I started making my own glass beads by hand instead of buying beads from other people. In 2000, I started making fused cast and flame worked glass. I have been a gaffer (assistant glass blower) working with other glass blowers, since 2003.

In 2016, when I retired, I started blowing glass on my own. I’m inspired by color. I love the interplay of light, color and glass. I produce art that is functional, wearable and that brings beauty into our everyday life.

I enjoy creating texture in unexpected ways, depth in two dimensional objects, and joy from the creation of everyday objects that are overlooked until I remake them.

One of my greatest satisfactions is to visualize an object, make it, and have it be a surprise in finished form.

I want my artwork to be a family heirloom, not a museum piece. I think functional art means more when people enjoy it and remember it.

Embrace Change

Play with Fire

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