It varies. I draw some pieces as a cartoon-like drawing, which I transfer to the mesh using a Sharpie felt pen. Then I will burn away those lines. That is not how I always work, but a lot of the time that is how I proceed. Some of the pieces I approach with more freedom, and I will use the torch to create the drawing. Ultimately, I go back and forth balancing the two approaches.

I use two torches, a butane and a propane one. I do not use oxy-acetylene or welding type tools. Beyond the torch work, I use mini pliers to connect the mesh together. I use aviation shears to cut the mesh and linesman’s pliers to bring it all together. What first attracted me to working with insect screening early on was that all I needed was pliers and shears. That simplicity really appealed to me.

Nature and natural forms are my core inspiration. My pieces are sometimes also derived from each other. As I make a piece, it can serve as the fuel for the next piece. I also like design, and this manifests in a more geometric or structural inclination in my works.