During my college career in the mid-1970s I developed an interest in lapidary work. At that point I lived in central Connecticut. Having a bunch of cut stones and nothing to put them in led to making jewelry, mostly in sterling silver, which I sold on the craft fair circuit in Connecticut.
Once I graduated and went to work in retail stores doing repair and custom work I was required by employers to minimize, and eventually cease, selling my own work as 'conflict of interest'.
After several jobs in Connecticut I moved to Vermont, where I eventually bought the 'repairs to the trade' business I had been working for. Yay! While I still had obligations to those retail shops I also had the freedom to start expressing my own creativity again.
Since then I have been back and forth between New England and the Southeastern states and have finally landed (for the 2nd time) in Western North Carolina, a few miles west of Asheville.
As my services to the trade wind down I have been stretching my wings with many new styles, working in sterling, brass, copper and occasionally other metals. New styles, new ways of getting from point A to point B....
My interest in lapidary work has been rekindled, lacking only a new cutting machine. I am also a woodworker and have begun playing with stained glass, so perhaps I can branch out into new directions, and even combine several of these skills into unique pieces.
As often as possible I like to use reclaimed materials. Some of my brass & copper came from my Dad's model railroading empire. Silver and gold I recycle as much as possible. I reclaim pallet wood and other old lumber for many of those projects.