I think of my jewelry as pieces of the past that have been given a second life.  I believe that each piece had a memory for someone and will continue to hold new memories for the person that wears it now.

At a young age I collected buttons and was fascinated with their intricacies.  Mixing them with new metals gives me a way to breathe life into them as wearable art.  I am endlessly fascinated by details, texture and metal combinations.   I believe art itself is within everyone and everyone has the ability to find beautiful forms that inspire them.  In my work I value our past, our present selves and holding on to that connection.  This allows me to stay rooted but also progress. 

I have always dabbled in drawing, oil painting, acrylics, stained glass and beading.  As a child I made my parents convert my closet to hold my arts supplies and not my clothes - thanks Mom and Dad!  In Florida I worked in Development and Marketing for the arts community so I was constantly around amazing artists and found them so inspiring.  After a part-time job at a bead boutique, I took a second look at my buttons and realized how pretty they really were.  These teeny tiny pieces of metal actually hold an unbelievable amount of detail.  My Aunt had given me some of her buttons and one in particular I wanted to wear as a ring.  I tried many techniques to figure out exactly how I wanted it.  After much wire wrapping, gluing and Google searching, I realized I had to learn metalsmithing.  A move to Vermont  (a very arts-friendly state) prompted me to jump in and learn this new medium.  I took a class with Rebecca Macomber, a talented artist in Burlington, and she taught me exactly what I needed to know and more!  I showed a few friends and family members what I created and long story short, this stay at home mom of two founded herself her own little company!