Art came first.

In 1994, by age twelve, I was teaching myself HTML. I didn’t make anything of value back then, but I loved figuring out how things worked. Later, I went to The Art Institute for animation, then transferred to the Kentucky School of Craft for jewelry design and metalsmithing. I graduated in 2007 as a certified bench jeweler and professional studio artist.

Learning to work with my hands taught me precision, patience, and how small choices can change everything.

It wasn’t until adulthood that I built something real. My first big project was Huckster Artistry in 2016, an ecommerce jewelry store I designed, built, and ran myself. It was messy and chaotic, but it clicked. I loved not just making things, but building entire systems around them. Life circumstances forced me to step away, but the lessons stuck.

Since then, I’ve built and helped build everything from high-end jewelry for Tiffany & Co. to online skincare brands, apps, and digital products. Some projects ended because of people, some because of circumstance. Along the way, I’ve struggled financially, juggled expenses, dealt with people being difficult, and leaned on a supportive family just to keep moving forward.

Those struggles didn’t stop me. They forced clarity and resilience.

They taught me to design not just for looks, but for function, longevity, and real-world impact. That’s how making became building, and building became designing with purpose.

Now, I create products and experiences that are intentional, functional, and grounded in reality. I’m a designer and product-minded creative. The medium changes, but the instinct doesn’t.