My art today, is the convergence of my experiences of living around water from my earliest years through out my adult life.  As a boy I was fascinated with the mysteries of underwater existence.        

 The liquid crystal quality of water, (which resembles that of glass) and the never-ending study of the strange and wonderful creatures that lived with in it became a life long passion. Creating illusions of underwater environments in glass, copper and steel, infuses the work with the life-force energy of fire and forge. It’s my hope that as the viewer becomes lost in the sight, sound and feel of the work, they become gently charged with that same life-force energy, while still experiencing the peaceful relaxing sense of visiting a strange and wonderful underwater world.

 My techniques of combining the elements of glass, metal and water are steeped in the ancient history of humanity. Metal and glass share that long history, both being products of the smelting pot and 5000 years of development. Water is perhaps nature’s most essential element, enabling life itself. As an artist who enjoys working in the ancient arts, it became clear that glass, metal and water are the perfect palette.

 I begin my work with an initial design, somewhat like an architect creates the initial drawings of a building. Then I deconstruct the design to develop a plan of action to create the piece. In all cases the work begins at the glory hole with the glass making part of the project happening first. Once the glass pieces are completed, inspected and tagged for the specific art piece, I move the pieces to the metal shop and begin to create the metal substructure. Depending on whether I am using steel, or copper, I forge the metal into the shape necessary to support the glass elements. Once the metal has been roughed in, I turn it over to my assistant who grinds all joints smooth and prepares the surface for the final finish. Once the metal is sealed, thin coats of various pigments are layered on to the surface to achieve the desired underwater effect. After all individual elements are completely prepared; they are assembled into the finished piece.