Yes, my art form has it’s roots in a very old art form and yes, it is rare—these are realizations that are not groundbreaking to me. There is a lot of blood, sweat and tears behind my work, especially in the earlier years. It is a very challenging calling to choose to pursue the life of a professional artist, let alone choose an art form that has a lot of industrial elements included. Today I am very successful but I think many people would be surprised to realize my climb in the art world has be very long coming and it has been filled with many years where I did well enough to support my budding (expensive) business but not well enough to thrive. So my success is very well earned.

I have spent my youth on my craft. I went directly to college to pursue an art degree at age 17. I was already accomplished as an artist by age 15/16—having been awarded 4 California State Seals and 4 Governor’s Medallions by the age of 17. These were (and might still be) the highest honors that can be bestowed upon a high school student in the arts in California. In college, I completed my undergraduate courses and unrelated major courses by the end of my freshman year—by spring quarter I was taking the upper division courses. Where many waited until their senior year to take advanced drawing, I did it as a freshman and in fact took a year’s worth. By the time I was a junior I had done so many upper division  classes that it was time to try the graduate program of Science Illustration—where I took classes for a year, maybe completing 2/3 of the classes that the real graduate students took to complete their degrees.

Well, those years were long ago now, and I do consider myself still young…but they are the backbone of who I have become today.  My middle years through college and right after were also spent working as a graphic designer—a skill set that I use almost every day as I am my own marketing machine. It took a lot of work to get to the point where I was able to walk away from the securities of graphic design to launch and feed my budding fine art career. And yes, I sacrificed not having a family early—that is another big distinction in me and it was a sacrifice.

So I write this open letter to all the artists who look at me and wonder how I arrived at where I am today. I am flattered when artists contact me but I am also very busy and my time resources are scarce as are my emotional energies (and of all people, I do love speaking with artists). My work in creating and showing my chandeliers is very demanding. This is a most rewarding life that I have and I wouldn’t trade it but it has demanded sacrifices thus the literal blood, sweat and yes, many tears through the years. Heck, I could have a lot of those elements between now and the end of next week, depending on the wind conditions at La Quinta, if I hurt myself setting up my massive booth, knocking myself out getting in and out of my trailer (and I’ve fallen out, too), the dozen dolly loads of display equipment and weights, steaks, rebar for wind. 🙂

To artists and with much kindness and Aloha (as I know others would not be so kind): please understand that my work is my livelihood and this is true for any working professional artist who has a unique and innovative art form. Because my work is special and because it has a part of my soul it’s like giving a part of myself with each chandelier and I do think most people require a part of the artist to invest in their work, I do understand this and give as much as I possibly can. Good thing we are creative people with abundance of soul!!! For now, I feel the need to hold my work’s creative soul and energies close. I think having expressed my life’s journey in this light, it will be easier to accept.