I started collecting minerals in high school, and then began college to study Mining Engineering at a time, sadly, that the job market dropped out in the early 1990’s. And so I sold my collection, moved to Lake Tahoe, and skiied by brains out while contemplating life. When I met my wife Andrea I also fell in love with her hometown of Angels Camp, land of Mark Twain’s Jumping Frog, Gold, and….Wine. I am a winemaker by trade - with a bachelors degree in Enology and Viticulture. I am now part owner and winemaker for our Mineral Wines label ( www.mineralwines.com )

In 2007, my six-year old daughter Alyse helped rekindle my interest in minerals when she began collecting pretty crystals in the road rock in our driveway, which came from the famous Carson Hill Mine in California's Mother Lode. Our collection started with a few specimens from ebay and then we decided to visit the Benitoite Gem Mine. Our first trip started the fever, and I began preparing Benitoite under the expert tutelage of Rick Kennedy and later giving presentations on ‘The Artistic Impression of Benitoite’ at shows, schools and clubs. I then sold and traded my specimens to help grow and fund my collection, which focuses on two themes: first, of course, is Benitoite and other minerals from San Benito County, and second, toenail sized miniatures, which I have shown in competitions in California and in Tucson. I look for vivid colors, crystal perfection, and overall aesthetics for display. The collection was awarded Best of Show at Tucson 2012 and again in 2014.

A theme for my collection: "The Self Sustaining Mineral Collection" ---All of my collecting started by field collecting and selling Benitoite, buying minerals with the proceeds, and trading up. I do not use family money to build the collection, rather it grows on itself. If I want a new mineral, I sell one I own or trade. Some of the finest collections in the world have been built up this way, and although I have only been collecting for 6 years, my goal is to continue building a great collection WITHOUT spending hundreds of thousands of dollars....or more,

I hope you enjoy the gallery...Cheers, Brett