I was born and raised in New Zealand. The raw and vibrant landscape there had a profound influence on me as I grew up. The powerful elemental forces of the ocean interacting with the land have always inspired a creative drive within me. I've lived in Maine for the last 30 years and the open ocean and rocky coastline influence me as powerfully now as they did in New Zealand. I'm influenced by the simplicity and clarity of ancient jewelry and I want to bring that feeling into a modern context. I'm inspired by both natural forms such as lily pads floating in a pond or a gnarled tree trunk, and modern designs such as a Marcel Breuer home or a Charlotte Perriand bookcase. It is in my work that I try to combine these disparate elements into a unified whole.