05/14/2026
Between having to physically hold my tent down on and off all day while it was thundering and lighting and watching helplessly as one of my display tables came crashing down into dirty water across the pavement, this weekend really brought a whole new meaning to the term Michigan Weather. Every time I heard someone’s display crash, I held my breath. However, along with all the stress, this weekend did bring some great joy. Making connections is a significant driving force behind my work, and being part of shows is what really brings that all together. This past weekend I had a chance meeting with someone who used to work for my family at Shepler’s for about 30 years, and he worked closely with my mom. He was even at her wedding. He and his wife, who could not have been nicer, spoke so warmly about her, and of course of Wild Bill. It was one of those moments where the world suddenly felt so small. With it being Mother’s Day, I found some comfort in their words. The feeling of her absence softened a little bit. Perhaps it was her just tapping me on the shoulder, reminding me she’s still here. Maybe she knew I would need a little extra help this weekend. Whatever it may have been, for a moment she didn’t feel so far away. You just never know who you’re going to meet or see, and about halfway through the last day I got another great surprise.
I hadn’t seen my god parents in over 15 years, so when I saw them walking up, I jumped. My god father, Cary, is an incredible designer and was actually a big reason why I wanted to go into metalsmithing in the first place, so seeing him felt a little bit like a full circle moment. Check his work out . Reconnecting was the best surprise and sort of brought me back to my own work, how I need to nurture it, to grow and evolve, and to not stay stagnate. So instead of walking away from this weekend feeling exhausted and defeated, it was quite the opposite. People are amazing. We need connections.