Growing up in an eclectic household full of antiques and curiosities that my father described as “organized clutter,” I came to appreciate objects for their inherent stories and aesthetic qualities—particularly the patina gained through years of use. It’s no wonder I ended up working in museums as an exhibition designer for my professional career. During my undergraduate years in the late 1970s I discovered the work of Joseph Cornell.  His box assemblages captivated my imagination through his use of everyday objects that took on a near magical quality in their intriguing theatrical presentations.  I wanted to make this kind of art, too. But I quickly realized one must have an inventory of objects from which to pick and choose—not unlike a painter’s palette of many colors. I decided early on to start collecting and that I would make assemblage art in earnest when I retired. For the next 35 years I mined yard and estate sales, second-hand shops, dumpsters and occasionally the neighbor’s trash, tucking things away in my basement, attic, and garage. In 2015, five years before retirement, I began what’s now become my second career.