Early on in my career as a Lapidary I met two carvers whom to this day are two of the best I've seen.

Seems kind of funny but they both live within thirty miles of each other in the once pristine and under crowded Verde Valley of Northern Arizona.

One of the carvers Craig Bacharach has lived in Jerome Arizona since I first met him back in the mid seventies. For these nearly thirty years he has been a long time friend inspiration and hermit and he is still hard at it. Craig's carvings are to die for especially his birds!

The other carver is Whittaker Freegard again a very close friend. Whittaker's carvings are often a combination killer carving and a tuned musical instrument in one. I was lucky enough to do a trade with him years ago for one of his carvings in exchange for one of my most favorite ivory carvings I ever did.

Thanks Whit and Craig for the great times and your humbling inspiration over the years