BACKSTREET GALLERY

Mike McIntyre

Jewelry Artist

 

After serving honorably in the United States Marine Corps Mike attended and graduated from Washington State University. He then moved to California where he had a 30 yr career as a manager of a large computer organization. Upon retirement, he and his wife Char moved to Florence so they could live by the ocean and the verdant forests of Coastal Oregon. Once a mossback always a mossback.

 

Mike started his journey in lapidary and silversmithing 45 yrs ago in an artists co-op gallery in California where he focused on sterling silver and turquoise pieces. His focus now is on very high-end jasper from the Pacific Northwest. His showings will include polished both sides designer cabochons and hand crafted sterling silver pieces fabricated in his shop In Mapleton, Oregon. He will also be pleased to do custom work from cabochons purchased at the gallery.

 

Mike has an extensive knowledge of the origin and location of the jaspers featured in his displays. He has many pieces which are no longer available as the mines are closed or the diggings depleted. Most of these come from a “stash” he has had for years. He believes that the magic is in the stones and many of his pieces feature the stone as the predominant feature.

 

He and his wife are also active in animal rescue and had “adopted” a rescue Catahoula and a blind and deaf Austrailian shepherd. Please feel free to ask him about Double Merles and how they can be avoided should breeders wish to do so.