About Me

Born in Carmel, California, I grew up in San Juan Bautista where I have my shop among the rolling hills about 5 miles out of town.  It was my passion as a teenager to do Blacksmithing as my career.  I just loved the methods, the work and the gratification I got from seeing the finished product.  I also gained a deep appreciation for the many things that have been lost in our history as we’ve advanced to a faster, more automated way of life.  I realized that the things Blacksmithing gave to me had a lot to do with these things that were lost.  This is where I came up with the name The Lost Forge.

I started my business when I was 21 – it has been 35 years and I have learned a lot along the way, although I have to say I never thought I would be doing the kind of high-end artistic work that I do now.  I always had a creative side, but hadn’t really developed it until I started my business.  A couple of years in, I started working with a group of interior designers in Saratoga.  They really got me excited about the process of designing and gave me confidence in my ideas.  I collaborated with them on a few design showcase-houses, like the Villa Montalvo in Saratoga and the Carolands Mansion in Hillsborough.  From there it has been a road of commission work through client referrals while discovering my own design style   I do have a love for Art Nouveau and like to incorporate that feel in my work when I can.

I like the personal process of working with my clients to understand the goals they have for their home and property.  Clients usually have a theme or an idea from something they have seen.  Some of my most interesting projects start with these ideas and branch off slightly to something more fun or whimsical and still keep within the flavor of the overall project.  Sometimes a couple may have differing ideas.  These challenges can be fun to sort out, and more often than not the outcome is a great balance.  This type of brainstorming is part of what keeps me growing in my art.