i am a designer and jeweler in my 17th year of the biz... 8th year as an indy. i work directly with private clients in my studio, designing and building custom pieces. i start with a sketch, and carve/cast or fabricate the item. i work in platinum, gold, silver, titanium, niobium, mokume gane, damascus steel, and wood, and with any stone my customer or i can think of. i also am a member (and juror) at a local artists' co-op (commonwheel artists' co-op), and online at guild.com, places where i can show work which is purely mine :>) most of what i do for galleries is one of a kind pieces, or limited production repeats/variations, in unusual stone/metal/technique coombinations. i also have a website at www.matthewdesigns.com .; matthewdesigns.com