I was born and raised in Renton Washington, (just south of Seattle). Loving the water, I spent much of my youth at the Cedar River.The river is a natural spawning ground for native salmon and memories of the river filled with salmon stick with me today. It has long been a place of peace, relaxation and inspiration for me. When it came time to pick a name for my company, it was a natural choice, Cedar River Beads.

Growing up I was surrounded by relatives that were accomplished wood workers, potters and jewelry makers. My fascination of art drew me to these activities. I immediately enrolled in ceramics when I got to high school and spent most of my behind a potters wheel. Although I continue to enjoy this activity, the original inspiration and motivation seems to get lost in the weeks it takes to finish a piece.

In 2003 I was introduced to the wonderful world of hot glass. For a Christmas present my lovely wife enrolled me in a glass blowing class at a local studio. After my first class my life was destined to change for ever. I finally found an artistic medium that was not only engaging but immediate. After the class my thoughts were consumed with glass designs (both good and horribly bad) and I needed more. I met two wonderful women that owned a glass studio in Seattle (Totally Blown Glassworks) and immediately started trading my computer expertise for glassblowing lessons.

It didn’t take long to realize that blowing glass in a hot shop is expensive and not really a part time activity, so I looked into lampworking. I found a method to work with hot glass and quickly set up my own studio in my home. The rest is history and can be seen on this web site.