About my studio
Built in 2012, my home studio is nestled under the redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains halfway between the charming seaside town of Santa Cruz, and the quaint Silicon Valley suburb called Los Gatos ("The Cats" in Spanish). Los Gatos is home to a number of famous people, but we love the quiet, flora and fauna of our rural mountain setting. While classes are in session it's not unusual to see wild turkeys, deer, a peacock, coyotes, and even a bobcat. The nature surrounding this magical place is a huge influence on my work.
My studio is equipped with 8 propane / oxygen torches (Nortel Minor, Carlisle Mini-cc, Bethlehem Bravo), oxygen concentrators, and tanked oxygen. Classes taught here have included beginning beadmaking, bead capping and coring, flameworked cabochon making, lampwork headpins, electroforming, silversmithing, and intermediate to advanced classes in both soft (COE 104) and borosilicate flameworking.
I teach classes and individual lessons here, and also invite outside instructors to teach specialized workshops. The Silicon Valley Fireflies chapter of the International Society of Glass Beadmakers meets here regularly and often is treated to a demo by visiting artists. If you're a local lampworker and not already part of our group, you should definitely think about coming to a meeting.
I teach classes and individual lessons here, and also invite outside instructors to teach specialized workshops. The Silicon Valley Fireflies chapter of the International Society of Glass Beadmakers meets here regularly and often is treated to a demo by visiting artists. If you're a local lampworker and not already part of our group, you should definitely think about coming to a meeting.
Getting here
While my studio is surrounded by the forest, it is only 20 miles from San Jose International Airport (SJC), and 53 miles from San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Hotels in nearby Los Gatos are about 10 miles away via Highway 17, and include the Best Western Inn of Los Gatos, Los Gatos Garden Inn, Los Gatos Lodge, and many others. Lodging in nearby Scotts Valley is also only 10 miles from the studio, and includes the Best Western Plus Inn, and the Hilton, which has a great bar and grill.
This area is a popular vacation spot. You can visit San Francisco for city sights, and hit the beach in Santa Cruz on the same day. The Santa Cruz Mountains growing area has their own wine appellation and there are at least a dozen wineries just a few miles from the studio. There are also plenty of places to go for an invigorating hike in the coastal redwoods. If you're coming from outside of California, you should think about adding a few vacation days to your workshop trip.
This area is a popular vacation spot. You can visit San Francisco for city sights, and hit the beach in Santa Cruz on the same day. The Santa Cruz Mountains growing area has their own wine appellation and there are at least a dozen wineries just a few miles from the studio. There are also plenty of places to go for an invigorating hike in the coastal redwoods. If you're coming from outside of California, you should think about adding a few vacation days to your workshop trip.
The experience
Enjoy these images from some recent classes and scenes around the property. Students find this an inspiring place to learn, connect with like-minded artists, and relax at the end of a stimulating day of class.
