My uncle introduced me to rocks and minerals while I was in High School, and I soon put

together a simple lapidary workshop so I could cut and polish stones in my basement. This paid off during college, where I helped pay my bills by selling gemstones to the Jewelry and Silversmithing Department at Kansas University (while I pursued my degree in mathematics). I also learned silversmithing at KU.

Graduate work put my lapidary work on hold, and in the following years I had a productive career as a statistician. I started “Taylor Made Arts and Lapidary” in 2010, and now I could work on the fabulous materials I had been buying at gem and mineral shows over the last 40 years.

When I retired in 2014, my wife and I decided to relocate in Cañon City (amazing geology, great climate, and no more Denver traffic!).  I now sell at farmers markets, art and craft shows, the Blue Spruce in Florence, and the Artists' Gallery in Cañon City.

The focus of my jewelry is the stone, and the silver is a frame for the amazing minerals and fossils that have been discovered around the world. The process of starting with a hunk of rock and ending up with a unique piece of jewelry never gets old. I’m not sure whether it’s art or craft,

but it certainly is fun!

Check out my Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TaylorMadeArtsGems