I have been collecting precious and semi-precious stones and minerals for over twenty years.  Most of the collecting I do is out in the field, mainly on the West Coast of North America, though I also purchase and barter for stones and minerals from around the world.  My passion in this art form started when I first collected a handful of quartz crystals in the Mojave Desert, and my favorite part of the lapidary arts is still collecting material in the field.  However, it didn’t take me long to start making jewelry and other pieces of art with the material that I brought home, and after twenty years I have refined and expanded my work in this field and continue to do so.  As with most art forms the machines and tools needed to create the art are a specialty item and I currently have the ability to work on different styles that I can expand in to.  What makes my art different than mass produced lapidary pieces that are manufactured in China and other places is that most of my material is unique.  Most of the material I use I found myself and much of it is found in the Pacific Northwest as I have lived and collected here since 1992.  What also sets my peices apart is that I get museum quality finishes and that I have prodcuts that range in price from less than one dollar and up into the hundreds of dollars.  I love to share my passion for lapidary and love to help people who may want to get involved, and I have the ability to make custom peices if requested.