Oh...where to begin?...The short run of it is that after being in the field as an archaeologist for approximately 7-8 years, I left to pursue art. After designing replicas for tv and film, and creating props for independant films, I've gone back to my 'roots' as it were. Designing and illustration are once again the primary focus. Im also dusting off the writing pad and setting down stories based on my life as an archaeologist.

As for long of it...

Self taught in some areas and taught by others in others, art was, and is, as much a part of my being as having a pulse. Illustrating, sketching, hammering, sawing, molding...each and every experience was there to behold. Loved it...still do. But, from an early time on, many folks told me being an artist was no way to make a living..so I needed to take care what I chose as a profession. Naturally. archaeology seemed to be the perfect choice to balance my life.

Aside from illustration, I did study coppersmithing under the wonderful guidance at Ball State University, where I received my Bachelors. I received a Master's degree in Anthropology at UNLV in 1996. My thesis involved studying the world's oldest mummies: the Chinchorro from northern Chile and southern Peru. My mentor initially chose me not because of my work as an archaeologist, but as an artist. Go figure. The work that came out of the experience was tremendous. Using the media and the styles used in each of the mummified remains, and comparing them to gender related funerary rites, the thesis work became a bit of 'racey' controversy at the university, "Sticks and Stones to Brace the Bones; The Immortalizing Craftsmanship of the Chinchorro Morticians," (Hey,...if I was gonna pay for the rest of my life for this education, you can be DARNED sure that title was gonna get its money's worth). The work focused on interpreting possibilities of ancient cultures through their craftsmanship and artistic media. Of all the statements made in the entire work (which needs to be cleaned up, admittedly...), a professor said they will remember it from one statement made during the defense, "Women were the original morticians, and men took control once it was found to be yet another status symbol." (ewwww...racey!...ok...maybe not that much). You can read more about the Chinchorro on the Mummy Replicas page or in an article in Archaeology Magazine online.


Upon entering professional archaeology, art came second. However, it was after a field season ended, art came back into my life. One odd telephone call received turned into two, and two turned into several and for some odd reason, I began replicating mummies. For a short while, requests came to create replicas of the Chinchorro mummies for tv, film and museums; including such folks as: National Geographic, The Museum of Man in San Diego, the Cornwell Museum of Texas, Cicada Films of London and the Discovery Channel. If you've watched any of these channels, you've most likely seen the replicas.

Then, the world of archaeology was up and running again, this time in the form of a pipeline investigation for several years. And once more, there before me were many of the roads less traveled. (It's true! Trust me, no one ever wants to travel neck deep through a swamp...give a jingle if you ever want to hear some of the tales). It was a time of walking and rock hard legs, of knee-deep muddy fields and shot-gun etiquette lessons...ahh memories.

As life happens, like it usually does, traveling non-stop became a bit much, and through some odd circumstances, it was time to stop traveling and begin laying some roots. Archaeology, although dear, had to take 2nd place on the shelf...and the focus more on art and design began again. One experience in art comes to mind: teaming up with David Moore, of Roboskins - Special FX , we created realistic body parts for the independent suspense/horror film "Suspended Animation"©, a John Hancock/Film Acres Production. The film was ok...but the props we created rocked! The body parts were perhaps too realistic...as I found out after a little talk with some state and federal authorities later. Special note*: If you ever happen to create movie props in the form of body parts, always include a note when you go to have the pictures developed! oiy...three months of surveillance, phone tapping and a two inch thick file.

In the last few years, I've used my travel experience and art background to try a new endeavor: creating theme rooms. Now before ya ask...it was a couple years before Trading Spaces hit the airwaves, and I never glued flowers to the wall... There are some samples of past work on here for some of the rooms designed; however, perhaps more enjoyable than that was the opportunity to design and create art and furniture pieces to go IN those places. That is part of the business today, and I am hoping to find a co-op or a manufacturer who wants to take a chance on my kids furniture designs.

This year, there have been a couple of chances to work on some archaeological digs just to get my bearings, and hopefully each year I can take a month off or so and go about the countryside, battling ticks and horseflies among the underbrush in search of new sites. Perhaps I can keep my feet in the world of archaeology, but only as a minor part, just to keep up on the current events...dunno. I also volunteer my services as an archaeologist whenever the opportunity presents itself. As for art, now, as you can gather from most of the site, I love to create! And I love for people to be able to use my artwork. It is my hope that there can be found a common-ground between those two in my life.