I have had a very rich and wildly varied life. From the beginnings of my creative drive in music as a violinist and saxophonist in my early college years, to training race horses (also a stint as a blacksmith), then on to the sciences where I worked in a lab and finally wound up working as an inspector with the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA).

Not that all went smoothly, there were indeed hard times. No money, and foraging for food in ungodly places before finally winding up on welfare before getting on my feet again. All those experiences have influenced me as an artist, and of course as a person. I have learned patience and perserverence with a good dose of (quirkey) humor will help with almost any situation.

I stumbled upon beadwork while looking for another creative outlet when my violinist days ended due to an accident that affected my playing hand. I admired some beadwork that was in a gallery. Determined to learn, I finally found Deon DeLange’s book Techniques of Beaded Earrings. Blissfully, I sat with the book and taught myself to bead.

Over the years, I found other books, and continued to teach myself. After I moved to California from upstate NY, I eventually took a few workshops from Virginia Blacklock, Joyce Scott, David Chatt and Don Pierce.

The first original design I created was inspired from an ad in the Sunday paper. It was a restaurant ad. In the background was an beautiful stained glass peacock. I was so taken by it, I charted out my first earring design: the peacock design that is in my first book Earring Designs By Sig. That design spurred on some 300+ earring designs.

I am presently working on more books for the future. I also have new unpublished amulet bag patterns and kits for sale, and will chart patterns from photos.

So many ideas, so little time....if only I could quit my day job and devote my time to beading, designing, writing and teaching!!