1978 Passion

Karen and I just returned from what was a fun experience at my 30th year High School reunion back in St. Louis, Missouri.   What a time cathing up with many former long time friends.  It's was 10 years ago when many of us saw each other and how so many of our lives have changed.  Many have young families and many have children that are almost through college. We saw photos of who we were and what we looked like then and I am sure many of us were thinking what our goals were going to be back then.  Some of us had grand ideas after going to college and some had just grand ideas.  I wanted to be an engineer eventually moving into the sales direction selling packaging.  It was not shortly after 10 years of sales and a quick fight with cancer, one year after Karen and I married did I realize that life can be short.  I returned to the reunion hoping to see special friends that I grew up with only to find out some had passed away so young.  It only now reinforces my belief that life is short and do what you want to do.  In the past years in the many fine art shows and this weekend we told people what we do for a living. We're jewelry artists. And we have a passion for what we do.  Many of you have either seen us at shows or seen us wearing our jewelry and ask where do you come up with the ideas?  I guess I can only say is when you have a passion for something, you become involved with it and believe in it and allow your imagination to assist you in the creation.  As a Barbershop singer of 26 years I fully believe if you don't believe in what you are singing it will show.  Karen and I are both blessed to have the opportunity to create jewelry that truly are one of a kind plus design pieces that make people happy. I listened to many of my long time friends who told me what they do for a living and many truly have a wonderful passion for what they are doing.  Many teaching in grade school and many participating in sports events with their children. So I guess I would have to say when you see our jewelry, we imagine it, we design it, we blieve in it because, it's our passion. It's the passion I have always had ever since 1978.