MY PROCESS

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From body to guitar, the path to creating a fully functioning instrument is exciting—and never a straight line. No two are ever the same. Sometimes the process takes days; sometimes weeks or longer. But it always begins with a vision.

A pattern. A genre. A theme or a vibe. Colors begin to form a swatch in my mind’s eye, and then I begin. It isn’t until I’m days in—sometimes weeks—that I know exactly what I’m painting.

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THE PALETTE

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Color is the key. I’ve found a distinctive palette that runs throughout my collection and makes my work recognizable, while the way those colors coexist and play with one another is different from guitar to guitar. The combinations are endless—and endlessly fascinating to me.

The guitar body was my first canvas. I painted in the background of a long career as a physical therapist until it became clear that I needed to give my art my full attention.

My mother was my first and forever influencer. As an artist, designer, woman, and consummate creator, she brought an unmistakable sense of style and attitude to everything she touched—from furniture and homes to needlepoint and fashion. That sensibility is in my DNA and continues to inform the way I see and create.

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INSPIRATION IN MOTION

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My inspiration comes from everywhere: music, fabrics and patterns, fashion, architecture, film, history, and the decades of movement my body experienced as a competitive triathlete. All of it lives somewhere in my artist’s playbook.

I work spontaneously, from the top of my head to the tip of my brush. Nothing is pre-drawn, traced, or sketched. The painting unfolds as I go, much like an improvised riff. I follow the inspiration, take risks, and keep going—even when a design pushes me to the edge of exhaustion.

Once the painting begins to reveal itself, the instrument follows. Hardware, shapes, finishes, and other details evolve alongside the artwork. On some models, I use clear pickguards to offer a glimpse beneath the surface—a nod to my physical therapy days and to the working anatomy and machinery that brings the instrument to life.

The wood begins unfinished and pre-configured. It receives the usual sealing and preparation, but that’s where usual ends. With the painting, all bets are off. Anything goes.

My team of expert luthiers and finishers then brings the completed vision together, building each instrument to the highest standard of playability and performance.

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ART YOU CAN PLAY

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My guitars are made to stand alone as works of art—and to be played to your heart’s content: on stage, in the studio, or in your living room.

Growing up, my parents taught me that every brushstroke is worth taking. And it’s not only okay to play it loud—it’s essential.