When Tricia and I returned, in 1973, from a year working in and enjoying San Francisco, I had passed all my state boards and was licensed to practice architecture. The problem was I no longer had the desire to create architecture. There were a number of factors that created this change of heart. Briefly stated, I found the emotional vulnerability of being extremely committed to creative architecture too much to bear in a competitive world. I also had the feeling that my free-form aesthetics would find very few clients and little ability to truly explore and develop my creative potential. I felt that if I was lucky I might end-up with a few designs I might actually be proud of. I also began to think that between contractors, building departments, finance companies, etc. the obstacles in doing any type of creative design, no less my free-form approach, are usually insurmountable. I was not inclined to spend a life hitting my heart against stone walls. I also knew the ability to make a living would be futile if I was to continue in architecture. That and the fact that joining the family business was available left little in the way of any indecision. And so I went into the world of making a living.

This decision did not stop me from being creative, however. I just redirected it towards avenues that I had some type of control over. One of these was the home for Tricia and myself, which I designed and built in 1976. Aesthetics, per se, were not a consideration in its design, as I was not interested in aesthetics in any way at this time. I felt that if the design was not going to be a free-form extravaganza, it need not be any type of aesthetic statement. What was vital was the living environment facilitated by the plan and space – not its “envelop”.

We also created the surrounding garden. Tricia was a founding member of the Aroid Society, and we both loved tropical plants. Our garden became a combination of exotic specimens. As such, home and garden together became our created world.

I also found that just as the extemporaneous process of both my pencil comps and the clay sculptures became a strong aspect of my approach to design and aesthetic identity, it also became my path to my personal self-expression, as well as, my lifestyle. It facilitated an attitude of moving along a path of ever-changing interests, unrestrained by what I had been and where I had come from. I decided to use life as it is structured, rather than force ideals upon it that would only make my existence frustrating.

In this way we went from camping-out through the Western “rocks” to dining at the most exquisite restaurants in the world; enjoying the glamour of skiing in Aspen, St. Moritz, and Gstaad; visiting Monte Carlo and St. Tropez; windsurfing and scuba-diving in the Caribbean; traveling to exotic locations such as Japan, Bali, and Angkor Wat. There were continual adventures and new experiences.

My continuing curiosity about all sorts of topics led to my reading books about world history, science, philosophy, religion, etc. Many of my concepts about life and human nature, as well as various other concerns, were an outcome of this reading.

I also took pride in staying in shape. I worked-out regularly and maintained good health. I enjoyed developing my image whether it was for business purposes or night-life enjoyment. I enjoyed fine clothes and fine cars.

When, in the late 1990’s I began to feel the desire to create art again, I used the Amertec woodshop to fabricate, assemble, and paint wood sculptures under my direction. I realized that if given enough time, 2-dimensional wood could be developed into 3-dimensional forms. And then when they were textured and painted with a variety of exotic finishes, my old concept of organic entities could be actualized. This I did until we sold the business in 2002, at which time I returned to sculpting first in wood, then in stone, and lastly back to clay, on my own.