Now it seems to me that I have always been deeply and passionately connected to the guitar, and it has become an inseparable part of my life. In the early 60s in Belgrade, which is the city where I grew up, the first Rock 'n' Roll bands were being formed, and so I too learned basic guitar chords from my friends. Although I liked Rock, I never learned to play it. Instead, I immediately discovered finger-picking and American Folk music: Cisco Houston, Tom Paxton and onward to Paul Simon, Cat Stevens, Leonard Cohen...

While learning to read music I discovered the world of classical guitar, and then Flamenco, my love at first listen. However, I have not pursued formal studies in music, and I've always performed more or less as an amateur.

My interest in guitar-building is a logical offshoot of my work as a player. I can trace it all the way back to my childhood discovery of a local violin-maker's shop, which I considered to be a magical place. Much later I would visit Croatian master luthiers Bockaj and Proskurnjak and unconsciously absorb the atmosphere and spirit of their workshops, where classical guitars were being made. My future path was solidified further during short visits to Madrid and the time spent in the shops of Manuel Contreras and Hermanos Conde.

I have learned the technical aspects of guitar construction mainly through disassembling, studying and repairing countless guitars and with the help of books by Irving Sloane and José Romanillos. Later I discovered The Guild of American Luthiers (which I am now a member of) and their publications where I found many informative and useful writings. I must also mention the kindness of their editors who always took the time to answer my questions regarding the problems I could not solve alone. Experience has brought further refinements in my skills and knowledge.

Painting and Graphic Arts are a part of my family's tradition. I have earned my Fine Arts degrees in Belgrade and Antwerp (Belgium). My work has been exhibited a number of times at home and abroad, and I continue to be active as a painter.