The best thing I ever did for myself was apprentice as a Goldsmith in Germany, and skills I learned there have been a venue,, an anchor, and way to meaningfully connect with the world ever since. I love what I can discover working with metals, the possibility of coloring them, forming and texturing them, and knowing their individual properties, sharing ideas with other metal-smith. It gave me very solid basics and also enabled me to teach. It has been s wonderful and endless source of inspiration. It keeps me sane for the ideas and possibilities seem endless.