Artist's Statement

In early 1990, I volunteered to spend three weeks on St. Croix doing construction work to repair homes
destroyed by Hurricane Hugo. Hugo had virtually decimated the island and hundreds were homeless. In the way
that so many things happen, I ended up fabricating a large gate for the Lutheran Parish Hall ini Christiansted,
using scrounged materials and an old, orphaned electric welder. That gate still stands today, to remind me how
difficult it can be to achieve quality results with substandard equipment and supplies. A few months later, I
moved to St. Croix and have resided here since. I recently retired from the Virgin Islands Police Department and
now devote myself full time to my blacksmithing.

It is my sincere belief that functional items not only can, but should, be decorative as well. Too often I see
otherwise lovely homes with their appearance marred by security grilles that appear more as though they are
intended to keep the inmates in than to keep intruders and the elements out. This is nothing more than a case
of letting false economies and/or inferior technical abilities dictate the final outcome, and ultimately serves to
diminish the value of the property. The same too often holds true for other metal elements in everyday life.

There are a host of "forged" furniture and household items sold inexpensively by every "big box" store. From
chairs and tables, to towel racks and toilet paper holders, there is an abundance of shoddily made items of
lackluster design available everywhere, usually imported form a third-world country where the labor force is paid
wages below the poverty level. I cannot, do not and will not attempt to compete with these unfortunate workers
or the megacorporations that are taking advantage of them. I have no desire to produce shoddy work and less
desire to see our surroundings filled with it. I believe that it is incumbent on every artist or craftsman to do the
best job that can be done, and to make the world a more enjoyable place to live. Our homes and businesses
can be made attractive, enjoyable and lasting by enhancing them with quality work that reflects a sincere desire
to live well.