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I was born in Newport Beach, CA in 1971, and raised in Los Angeles. Growing up, I was fascinated with both art and culture, and actively pursued these interests. At an unusually young age, I was exposed to knives; I was born with a birth defect known as a cleft lip and palette. Throughout my formative years, sharp surgical instruments were in my face, both figuratively and literally, as I underwent over a dozen surgeries. This led me to view the knife from a healing perspective, as a symbol of regeneration. I was thankful for their functions and abilities. I also experienced knives from an archaeological viewpoint. Throughout my childhood I travelled throughout Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, where I learned the historical importance of knives as one of mans first tools. These early influences helped me discover the "art" of knives.
After graduating High School, I delved into my passion for art full time. My interests led me to a stint at "The Savannah College of Art and Design", where I took my first classes in Jewelry and Sculpture. In 1992, I transferred into the Jewelry and Metals Department at "The Rhode Island School of Design", considered the finest Art and Design school in the country. This is where I perfected the technical skills of jewelry fabrication and metalsmithing. I also studied Sculpture, Painting, Graphic Design, and Photography. Throughout my studies, I found myself searching for a platform to express myself. Looking back, I can now see that subconsciously I was working towards the knife form. In 1994, I re-discovered the knife, first through the creation of abstract Sculpture; I then progressed onto the real thing. My sense of aesthetic had finally found a home.
In 1996, I graduated with a B.F.A. in Jewelry and Metalsmithing from RISD. My education has played an important role in my overall approach. The particular skills I acquired at RISD, both technical and conceptual are applied to my unique art-knife style, which has helped me take my work to a new level.
After graduation, I delved completely into the knife world. Since then, I have dedicated myself to the "Art-Knife" as my main medium. I specialize in high-end, one-of-a-kind, collector art knives utilizing my own completely unique, unmistakable style.
Knives as Art, offer me a focal point for all of my varied interests. In these modern times "Art" is defined as a platform for ideas. The knife is where I exercise and express my thoughts on art, culture, sociology, archeology, anthropology, and metaphor.
In recent years I have dedicated myself to the quest of merging the art and knife worlds. Since 2002, my knives have begun to be displayed outside of the knife world. First came a gallery show in Denver, and then that same year I was featured in Metalsmith magazine's annual juried showcase, "Exhibition in Print". Other gallery shows I've been in include; "Hammer & Hand: Contemporary American Metal," "The Influence of Rock & Roll" at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, & Museum, in Cleveland, OH, as well as in the exhibition "California Art Metal Now", at the Blue Room Gallery in San Francisco, CA. I also conduct workshops and lecture. In the spring of 2004, I was a featured speaker at The Society of North American Goldsmiths annual conference, where my presentation "Art Knives: The Passion, The Quest, The Controversy" was well received by an audience of nearly four hundred. My work has paid off; I have successfully established myself as the premier Art Knife artist, now galleries and museums are seeking me out, as evidenced in a recent invitation to participate in a Metal Arts Invitational, entitled "Made in America" at the Rochester Institute of Technology, in upstate NY. The Museum of Arts + Design has also invited me to create a special piece for their Golden Anniversary show: "Gold X 50", which will showcase 50 diverse pieces showcasing the various uses of Gold. I am also being asked to give more lectures on my work. Two of my knives were also once again accepted into the 2005 addition of Metalsmith magazines' annual juried competition, "Exhibition in Print". Inclusion in this issue means that those included are ineligible to reapply, or be included in future issues for three years in order to insure the publication consistently has new, fresh, and innovative work from a diverse group of artists. My inclusion in the 2002 and 2005 issues technically means that I was juried in "back to back". The topic of the current exhibition, believe it or not, was "Flatware: Function + Fantasy", a good indicator that knives and related tools are being accepted by a larger audience. There was also a physical exhibition of selected work from this issue at SOFA (Sculptural Objects Functional Art), Chicago, October 27th-30th, 2005. Since then, my knives have continued to recieve excellent exposure through other important gallery shows, as well as expanded publicity through various international publications.
Since knives are rarely recognized as art, the strides I have made in my quest to bring my form to the public have been important milestones in my career. My goal is to continue to build awareness of my art, and my current projects include curating the 1st ever museum show of Modern Art Knives, which will be held at the National Ornamental Metals Museum, in Memphis, TN this summer. Lark books has also recently asked me to jury their forthcoming publication "500 Knives".
I am currently an active member of several organizations, including the Society of North American Goldsmiths, The "American Bladesmith Society", and a Voting Member of the "Knifemakers Guild". I have been featured in over Sixty publications, both nationally and internationally.
I live in Pasadena, CA with my wife Kristina. |
