I got started making pens over a decade ago when a colleague at my school showed me a pen he made himself. I learned to turn at a local maker’s space before purchasing my own lathe.

I have worked hard to improve my own skills, taking courses from the top pen makers around the country, attending workshops and conventions and working with fellow turners. I also travel the world, picking up new woods and other materials for turning.

Pen making is still a “side hustle” for me: I love my job teaching at the best public high school in Baltimore. Most of my customers are folks I meet, or their friends and relatives. I like making pens more than selling them.