My home country, Austria is a beautiful country full of lovely historic buildings and perhaps that first trained my eye to beauty and history. At 14 I had begun a textile engineering degree, but I fell in love with handmade rugs a year later. As a young adult I emigrated to the U.S. and worked under the tutelage of Robert Mann in one of the leading rug and textile conservation studios in the country, learning restoration, conservation and the rich history of handmade rugs and textiles. Touching and seeing the handmade rugs eight to ten hours a day I learned about their history, where they were made, and the people who made them. It led to a very intimate relationship with these exquisite rugs—their craftsmanship, materials, beauty, and the people and lore behind each one—that I love to share with my customers.