Practical Arcana
Uncommon skills, applied with purpose.
An OpsArtica showcase of cross-discipline craft, deliberate restoration, and experimental learning, where metal, wood, and ingenuity converge.
Custom solutions to unusual problems. Design begins with a challenge that resists the obvious path. The work is to find clarity in the constraint and shape a response that feels inevitable. I move from brief to prototype with momentum, refining through quick iterations that reveal what holds and what fails. Along the way I capture decisions and methods in detail.
This is where raw stock becomes something precise. Forging and CNC work meet on the same bench as engraving, etching, turning, milling, and hand finishing. Each cut or strike moves the material closer to its purpose, balancing weight and accuracy. The goal is simple: tools that can take hard use, deliver consistent performance, and feel as considered in the field as they do under the lights of the shop.
Some projects begin as questions more than answers. Experimental design is where those questions take physical form. I create mechanisms and prototypes to push at the boundaries of what might work, building rigs that measure, record, and reveal. The process is less about perfect polish and more about unlocking the next stage of possibility.
As a former professional swordfighter, I know the blade begins long before the edge. It starts with the alloy, chosen for the right mix of toughness and response to heat. Geometry shapes how the blade moves through material, while treatment fixes strength into the steel itself. I design and craft blades intended for work, not display. The balance is always the same: durability in use, performance at the edge, and the ability to maintain it over time.
Restoration is equal parts preservation and restraint. Each artifact carries its own history, and the work is to keep that history intact while ensuring the object survives for the future. I handle mechanical repairs, fabricate missing pieces, and apply careful cleaning methods that stabilize without erasing. The goal is always to honor the original form while extending the life of the object and its record.
Delivering a balance of scale, presence, and durability. Every installation must stand safely over time, often in unpredictable conditions. I design and fabricate the support structures, engineer the hardware, and map out workflows for assembly in the field. The result is large-scale art that can be experienced with confidence and maintained without compromise.
My work sits at the intersection of craft, engineering, and curiosity. I am an engineer, blacksmith, leatherworker, machinist, programmer, and maker, moving across disciplines with the same attention to material and function.
The projects range from robotics and museum restoration to experimental rigs and public installations, each shaped by the same pursuit of durability and clarity.
I hold to the principle that a jack of all trades is often better than a master of one. Breadth allows me to approach problems from multiple angles, while depth ensures that the results stand up to real use. This portfolio offers a window into that range: traditional craft carried forward, modern engineering applied with care, and ideas tested until they take tangible form.