I have always enjoyed working with my
hands. In fact I know it’s in my families blood. Johann
George Wackler born June 8, 1793 was Superintendent of blast furnaces
and the foundry for The Emperor of Austria! My great grand father had a
foundry in Baraboo Wisconsin he repaired Circus Wagons among other
things.
I did crafts even in grade school. I
hammered my first silver ring from a Quarter. Right after graduating
from high school in1968 I went to college in Boulder but dropped out
early as the retail gold and silversmith shop that I started in Denver
was taking up all my time.
I ran the store profitably for a few
years. Then I began making and wholesaling Art Jewelry to galleries. I
estimate that I made 20,000 cast rings and pendants in my
20’s.
In my 30’s I became a gem
merchant. I specialized in fine Ruby’s and Sapphires. My
sales territory was Sun Valley to Santa Fe. The traveling wore on me so
I set up my studio again in Boulder.
I began cutting Fantasy cut gems and
built a shop to do work like the great jeweler Faberge.
I then worked for a European Royal as
his head work master making objects in the style of Faberge for most of
the 1990’s
I now do my own art, teach and do global
consulting in the Jewelry and gem business.