I have always loved working with metal. The thrill of holding a piece of scrap steel to a grinding wheel as a young kid and watching the "beautiful" shower of sparks, has never left me.
I developed my love of metal work at an early age, assisting my father with many of his home-spun projects. When I was old enough I could "fetch the iron". This was an antique soldering iron that was heated on the kitchen stove. My dad was always tinkering with something, and it usually involved some form of metal work.
I can honestly say that metal work is in my blood. My dad was a union sheet metal worker for 40+ years, my grandfather was a coppersmith (some of the things he made are family heirlooms), and my great grandfather was a blacksmith back in "the old country".
I began my own exploration of working with metal in the University of Buffalo Theater department. It was there that I got my first experiences with arc welding and oxy-acetalene torch cutting. I need to thank my great tech. theater teacher, Gary Cassarella, for setting me on "the path".
In the next 25 years I worked in theater shops around the country, focusing on using steel and aluminum in set and prop construction. In the past 2 years I have focused more on ornamental iron work, custom motorcycle parts, and steel and aluminum sculpture.