My business was born with a generous nod to my children, twins who have kept me going since their births.  When they were infants, we lived in Italy for a year, so I named my business “Gemelli”, which means “twins” in Italian.  The “Contemporary Crafts” label distinguishes my work from what I and others call “folk crafts”.  While rooted in sound, time-tested technique, my pieces have a more modern, funky appeal.

I have always been a maker of things. Early on, I learned to sew, knit, crochet, macrame and bead. In high school, I took woodshop and ceramics. Although I pursued a professional degree at a Master's level and had a full-time career as a social worker, I always had a craft going. I took a metalsmithing class so I could make the wedding rings that my husband and I still wear today. Later, I learned scrapbooking and stamping.

I started fusing glass in Santa Barbara, California, around 1990 or 1991. I took a class nearly every week for nearly three years, eventually running the kilns (along with a couple of other classmates) for our teacher. This was a great start to a fun craft, but initially, I failed as a businesswoman. [I still have horrible-looking pieces glued to cheap findings that I tried to market at local craft shows. I keep those pieces as a reminder of how far I have come, how much hard work it is to keep on trying to make a product that will stand the test of time.] I promised myself that as soon as I could get settled in a community, I would get back into fusing glass, making products that are beautiful, useful and well-made.

Once settled, I started out in my home studio producing note cards, wrapping paper and decorated gourds. The tax return from starting my business helped me buy my very own kiln, large enough to produce the photo frames I knew I wanted to make. I hope that my story inspires you to reach for your goals and never lose sight of your dream.

I want to thank my family for their support, as well as friends and teachers along the way.