As the youngest in a string of six artistic siblings, I was exposed to music & fine arts at an early age.  While majoring in music, I enhanced my schedule with ceramics, drawing, painting & martial arts.  After earning a masters degree in music from Arizona State University, I moved to San Francisco, and quickly became involved with a community of improvisational musicians, composers and artists.  As a freelance trombonist & part time office slave, I managed to save enough money for my dream trip around the world.

A year long solo journey took me to Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Israel, and Egypt.   Before long I was living in Kuching, East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo, teaching & playing music.  Being a faculty member in the Music Department  at the newly established University of Malaysia, Sarawak was an exciting experience.        

From my central South East Asian locale I had the opportunity to travel extensively in  most of the neighboring countries. During these adventures, I collected unusual art, including textiles and musical instruments, representative of local cultures.  With each excursion  I became increasingly fascinated with the ingenous art which surrounded me!  See photos from some of the wonderful places I've been.

Earlier, in my San Francisco days, I was introduced to the art and techniques of mosaics by my sister, Elizabeth Raybee, an internationally known artist.  Assisting her on several large mosaic installations and creating other small pieces of my own, I held a strong desire to return to mosaics somehow, someday, somewhere. 

Soon after settling in New Orleans in 1999 my love for mosaic was rekindled while creating a table for my partner Mark's birthday.   "The Jester Timpanist" left him unusually speechless and forever supportive of my growing artistic endeavors.   Mark's constant inspiration & enduring support frees me to be creative & experimental!

As an active trombonist in New Orleans with the legendary Deacon John Moore I stayed busy performing, yet found ample time to indulge in my passion for mosaics.  Since Hurricane Katrina, all that has changed.  Although she caused much destruction & still accounts for much confusion, I took this as an opportune time to fully focus my energies on creating custom Mosaics. 

Each of my mosaics are individually designed with great care and attention to detail.  Tesserea (glass, ceramic, mirror, or found objects), are hand cut, randomly smashed, or cut using a tile saw. I enjoy using a combination of the above techniques & materials in a single mosaic.  The unique way various materials break often helps me to determine the character of a finished piece, or may entirely change the direction of a work in progress.  The spontineity involved in laying the tesserea is one of the things I most enjoy about mosaics.  The depth and texture of different materials used in combination creates contrast and a sense of movement, while the use of irridescent glass and mirror infuses an environment with ever changing reflections of light and color. 

I sincerely hope you enjoy browsing my website.  If you see something you love, contact me for pricing, or let's discuss a commission designed & created specifically for you!

  Professional Member  

Society of American Mosaic Artists