I really love steel, and it is through steel that I found myself in art. This is not surprising, since steel is in my blood. Every male member of my maternal grandmother's family who lived in America worked with steel until the 1960's. Many of them, including my namesake, wanted to create art with their skills, but the Great Depression, World War II, and other socioeconomic factors forced them to focus on providing for their families, and not on what was in their hearts or souls. As my horizons have expanded, I have used other materials—drawings, prints, and more—but my base and identity is steel.

In keeping with my familial traditions, I am a strange combination of blue collar and white collar - as an artist as well as a person. I feel that this is very appropriate for an artist, especially now. It eliminates the question of what was and was not done by the 'hand of the artist'. I do everything and I take pride in my craftsmanship. I believe very strongly in maintaining a visceral connection to everything I do. That said, when I explore and push the limits of 'the envelope', when I go to the edges of control, I feel that I can relax, focus, and create with the most clarity.