Linda Toukan
From childhood, I had many influences that contributed to my perspective and designs. My mother was an award-winning potter and sculptor, creating until she was nearly 90. Through her I learned my most valuable lesson – to be fluid and changeable in design and life. My father was a collector of early American fine art and specialized in metal artifacts. I developed a deep appreciation for hand-forged metal. My grandfather was an avid rock collector, spending much of his life collecting rocks, fossils, and gemstones in the Western states. His deep love for the earth and rocks formed lasting impressions, leading me to study the earth sciences and major in Geology in college.