Dear Dad, Looking back over my life, I realize how much I learned from you. You are the quietest man I have ever known, certainly the most stoic. You rarely explained what you were doing, often even when I asked questions. Even though we seldom talked much, I learned to follow your movement. You possessed an uncanny ability to look at a problem and knew how to approach fixing it. It was labeled common sense back then; you were known as the neighbor who could fix just about anything. I learned from you something I use every day. I

Many years ago, Steve Jobs gave an interview describing what it was like to manage Apple. It’s like one is the captain of a large ship; there is a massive hole in the bow, water is beginning to come in, and I’m doing everything I can to make it to shore before we sink. Perfect description. I have felt that way many times. So many details demand attention and take up so much of my day that creating art is almost in the catch-as-catch-can category. My mind is constantly churning. I have pads of paper around me with which

As a young man, I felt inadequate in life. I never did well in school. I felt like I was in this large holding pen until I was old enough to go out alone. I had a sense of self. I viewed my life quite differently than Dick and Jane saw theirs and became resentful of how I was forced to live in their world. I was thirty-two when I decided I needed a change. I moved to the country, arranged my life so I only had to work three to four months out of the year, and started

From day one, I knew I would not make much as an artist/craftsman and that there was a good chance I would not be able to make it my occupation. I’ve been told I have a gift. If I do, it’s an overabundance of perseverance. Cutting glass is essential in my art; one’s skill and productivity determine one’s livelihood. Stained glass is an inconsistent material, not only in one sheet but also throughout the sheet, as the various colors, in varying amounts, take their place. Running a small metal wheel around my pattern takes much skill and concentration. If

One of the most interesting aspects of my life as an artist is my ability to create my reality. I desire to do good, be helpful, contribute when appropriate, and be true to myself. Finding direction and support is challenging in a world with many contradictions, and simple solutions are the norm for very complex problems. And then I have to contend with my inner workings. When I get dressed in the morning, I lay out what I will wear on my bed. Almost every time, I say to myself, I can not possibly be that big around. And

Glass cutting is something I take seriously. Each type of glass cuts slightly differently, requiring varying pressures on the little wheel at the end of the cutter. The wheel has particular angles for various thicknesses and hardnesses of glass. Each cut requires dipping the little wheel into a small jar with light oil to give it a longer life. Cutting and grinding glass has the feel of ice to me. Many years ago, before grinders, I would nip away at inside curves with a pair of glass plyers I had rounded off for easy access. It was tedious and

When I started my journey in 1972, I was 23 years old. One of my biggest challenges was pricing my work. I remember how nervous I would get when giving someone an estimate for a lamp, which is how I started my career. I was always looking for work, even painting a few houses along the way to make ends meet. At that point, I was happy to just survive, with the possibility of being able to keep building my livelihood. Most people had no problem with what I quoted them. However, some were quite agasp. I took this

Potatoes grow well in our zip code. Living in the country, we can purchase a pickup truckload of aged manure for $5.00. Add in all the leaves, straw, grass, and leftover plant matter, and after 35 years, our garden is like potting soil. Every year, we plant 3 to 4 rows of potatoes. We dig a hole, stuff a handful of straw in the bottom, place the cut portion of a potato with an “eye” in the hole, and cover it up. Then, the magic begins. Moisture, air, nutrients, and sunlight stimulate the embryo. The mixture is slightly different

When I started my journey into being an artist/craftsman in 1972, I had a landline, library access, and a college degree in Sociology and forestry. My only financial resources were money from painting houses, which was how I paid for college. Oh, and I still had my old VW bus. But most importantly, I had me. I have always been strong-willed, with what is today referred to as grit. As my skills developed, I began to receive commissions from well-off people. This was quite a change from the environment I grew up in. Some saw a way to embellish

When I moved to Bremo Bluff forty-two years ago, I promised to devote considerable time to Reading. I have always liked the idea of carrying on a “conversation” with an author who otherwise I wouldn’t have the opportunity to because of unavailability or the difference in our life span. I started by reading books cover to cover. I soon learned that most books contained several good ideas and evidence to support them but were time-consuming. After acquiring a new book, I began exploring the index and table of contents to find information relevant to my interests. This approach worked