I found Etsy several years ago through collaboration with a non-profit organization offering art to benefit disaster relief, and after things started moving I decided to start a shop of my own here.

Introduced to computers later in life, I found the listing format user-friendly, and the name recognition of the site easier to drive traffic to than a free-standing website.

Etsy is a world unto itself and I have formed so many interesting and meaningful collaborative relationships here, learned from, and shared my experience, and connected with others in a whole range of mediums, and on alot of levels.

My love of animals, my Native American racial background, and various causes I've been involved in outside of Etsy have taken me to unexpected places in this diverse comunity.

I'm strongly influenced by nature, political and social issues, and like to use art as a means with which to educate the public on important topics.

Recurrent themes of regeneration, resilience and enchantment show up in a number of forms to take the viewer on a journey of intrigue through the senses.

The interplay of light, color, texture, and sometimes sound draws you into a rich inner world brimming with possibility.

I approach each piece as a living being with a soul. If I can convey this essence to the viewer and have it speak to them on a deeper level then I have done what I've set out to do. I want my work to be more than merely an accessory, but something treasured with special meaning to the buyer, not necessarily in words, but in the same way you know it when it's true love.

Rather than working on one piece at a time from start to finish I tend to have 5 or 6 works in-progress simultaneously and alternate between them. This creative process has allowed me to stay inspired and to continually act on fresh ideas as they come to me.

Works-in-progress are kept on pieces of cardboard; little work stations in various areas of the house, so they can be moved around and worked on easily.

Most of my beads are organized by color, size, gem variety, or style in plastic compartment boxes, and my packing and shipping supplies are all close at hand.

In recent years due to declining health I've been unable to do shows, and need to pace myself from day-to-day, but over the past few years have had to be mostly in bed, and have been unable to do the more stenuous metalwork I used to do because of increasing fine motor coordination problems in my hands and severe fatigue.

I live with my dog, Carmella, rescued from a local animal shelter, and two Ball Pythons named Velvet and Caduceus.