I was born in 1954 and raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. I learned glassblowing with the help of a friend after graduating from Wake Forest University in 1976.  Spending only two weeks working with glass, I was hooked.  Since I had received no formal art training while getting my Bachelor’s Degree, my aptitude for glassblowing was a huge and pleasant surprise.   I originally created small works, and eventually worked with J.R.R. Tolkein “Lord of the Rings” characters and other fantasy themes.  The Tolkein flights of fantasy started my love of detail and I enjoyed creating them so much that I decided to make glassblowing my career.  I have spent the past 34 years creating my artwork for galleries, art shows and private collections.

        In 1980, after walking upon a field full of hundreds of breathtaking Pink Lady Slippers on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I was inspired to change my subject matter completely. I began creating native wildflowers and I haven’t stopped since. I had discovered what I felt was a most satisfying blend of subject matter with medium.

Trademark qualities of my work have been the accuracy of the flower structures combined with a distinctive organic style that sets it apart in the use of free-formed glass bases for most of my wildflowers (where a base is desirable).   I developed my organic glass base about 25+ years ago and find that my sculptures have much more appeal to me as an artist and I am able to capture the essence of the flower with more movement.   The flowers seem as though they spring from their natural looking base.  My sculptures stand entirely on their own in solid and continuous glass, a more risky and time-consuming process.

        Borosilicate glass is my medium.  Using propane and oxygen-fed torches, I heat the glass to a molten state (2000-2500 degrees Fahrenheit).  At these temperatures, the glass becomes pliable enough to shape into delicate looking wildflowers.  My goal is to create original delicate works of art while maintaining durability at the same time - a balancing act which requires diligence and careful craftsmanship.

        I work by myself, employing traditional flameworking techniques to create my sculptures.  There are no molds, specialized tools, glue, wires or paints used.  After completion, each piece is annealed at 1040 degrees Fahrenheit in a kiln then cooled gradually back to room temperature. This process removes all thermal stress from the piece, making the glass as strong as it was originally.   All pieces are then examined under a polariscope which ensures that the sculpture has been properly annealed before presenting it to the public.  My glass can be repaired by flame which is impossible with soft glass.  This means my sculptures can retain their value after the repair.

               Although I am currently using colored glass to highlight the blossoms of my flowers, clear glass has always been integral to my sculptures.  I believe that the purity of clear glass lends a mystical feel to the flowers, emphasizing the delicacy and fragility of our natural world.  The colored blossoms provide a vibrant focal point while the clear glass challenges the observer to look more closely and to use his/her imagination to complete my vision. 

       I am proud and honored to be affiliated with:

The Glass Art Society,  The American Craft Council,   The Southern Highlands Guild, Ohio Designer Craftsmen, The Michigan Guild of Artists and Artisans,  Handmade in America, Piedmont Craftsmen,  Carolina Designer Craftsmen, Lexington Art League, and North Carolina Mountain Arts Alliance.

       I am grateful for the opportunity to create three exemplary teacher awards annually via the Rhododendron Society at Appalachian State University.  

       We are enriched also when participating with such exceptionally talented artists in the juried art shows around the country--  to see such beauty as well as art in its many unbelievable and various forms.