OVER THE YEARS OF MY NON-PROFESSIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CAREER, I HAVE WORKED IN MANY DIFFERENT CREATIVE MEDIA, TRADITIONAL ARTS, TRIBAL ACCOUTREMENTS, DOLL MAKING, BEADED ADORNMENTS. I WENT ON TO FIBER ARTS OF CLOTHING AND WEAVING TO CERAMICS AND ON TO METALS. METAL WORK SPOKE TO ME THE LOUDEST. THE CREATIVE POSSIBILITIES WERE INFINITE WITH ENDLESS SATISFACTION. AMID ALL THE DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES OF METAL WORKING I CHOOSE TO DO FABRICATION. IT WAS THE PROCESS THAT CAME EASY TO ME, ALTHOUGH I DABBLED IN CASTING, AND WELDING. WHILE WORKING ON MY BACCALAUREATE AND MASTER OF FINE ART DEGREE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA AT GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA I BECAME VERY CLOSE TO MY ACADEMIC ADVISOR ELLEN AUYONG. SHE WAS FOREVER MY TEACHER, MENTOR AND FRIEND.  I TOOK A SHORT SUMMER CLASS AT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN WELDING WHICH QUICKLY BECAME UNPALATABLE TO MY CREATIVITY.