Jack lives in Cornelius NC. Since the age of twelve, Jack has been a rockhound, spending every available weekend climbing the hills around Spruce Pine and Franklin, NC. His dad made his first tumbler out of a fifty-five gallon steel drum. His first gem-cutting machine was a B&I Gem Maker from Sears. Jack has attended classes at Wildacres and William Holland, and has been a private student of Sarah Lee Boyce for years. Although his primary passion is cutting picture jaspers, stones with inclusions and druzy stones, he loves cutting any material into cabochons. He prefers to cut freeform stones that his wife, Katy, wire wraps. Jack started teaching for William Holland in 2008.