Why every sculpture begins with years spent in the saddle, at ringside, and with sketchbook in hand.
People often ask where my jewelry designs come from.
The answer is simple: they begin long before the first wax is carved or the first piece of gold is cast. Every sculpture begins with seeing.
For as long as I can remember, I have drawn horses. As a child, I filled sketchbooks with their forms—the curve of a neck, the angle of an ear, the rhythm of a stride. Long before I understood anatomy or sculpture, I was learning to observe.
Years spent in the saddle deepened that understanding. Riding teaches lessons that cannot be found in photographs alone. You learn the subtle balance of a horse standing quietly beneath you, the way leather tack settles against a shoulder, the expression in an eye before a jump or a race. Time spent ringside at horse shows and race tracks adds another dimension, where power and elegance come together in motion.
These experiences have shaped my work as both an artist and a sculptor.
When I create a new design, I return to my sketchbook. Sometimes an idea appears as a quick pencil study. Other times it grows from one of my watercolor or oil paintings. Over time, those drawings evolve into hand-carved wax sculptures, preserving the energy and spirit of the original artwork before they are transformed into sterling silver or 14k gold.
Corteggiando Necklace and Earrings
It is a process I often think of as From Canvas to Gold—a journey where fine art becomes wearable sculpture.
The flowing lines of the Prancing Horse Collection were inspired by countless moments watching horses move with effortless animation. The Center Ring Slide reflects the elegance and tradition found in the show ring, where generations of horsemen and women have celebrated excellence. Even my work honoring Secretariat was born not simply from photographs, but from years of studying the horse himself, his history, and the remarkable people who preserved his legacy.
The horse has been an artist's subject for thousands of years because it is never still. Even at rest, there is life beneath the surface—a quiet energy waiting to move.
Capturing that spirit has become the foundation of my work.
Every sculpture that leaves my Kentucky studio carries with it hours of observation, drawing, painting, and carving. It represents a lifetime spent learning not just how horses look, but how they feel.
That, perhaps, is the true art of seeing horses.
Continue the journey:
• Visit the Artist's Studio to see where each design begins.
• Discover the story behind From Canvas to Gold.
• Explore the Prancing Horse Collection and the Center Ring Slide.
• Read more about the creation of the Secretariat Collection, inspired by one of racing's greatest legends.