It seems to me that there are two main ways to do art.

The first is to come up with a detailed vision and then shape the materials to your plan.

The second is to start with a general idea and then see how the materials influence where the design goes.

I do both, but far and away the second dominates my work. I enjoy the beauty of the raw materials. I revel in the possibilities of what they can be. I often look at a stone or a piece of wood or chunk of beat up metal and think, "This is delightful. How can I craft it to show it off and make it wearable?" 

William Belli