According to Brian, the love that he & I have shared since high school has & continues to be the inspiration behind his passion for jewelry.  It all began when he started making jewelry for me Senior year in art class.     Brian earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.  While studying jewelry making & design,  he handcrafted pieces and worked as a bench jeweler to hone his goldsmith skills.   After graduation, Brian founded Long & Co. in 1997, his home-based jewelry design business.

Brian & I have two children, Jocelyn (born 2000) and Brenton (born 2001).  They have learned that with faith & hard work, ‘dreams really do come true’.  Here is a picture of us on a Fall 2009 hike in Starved Rock  State Park.   In 2001, Brian began managing Michal’s Fine Jewelry in Barrington.  Here he was able to build his reputation in town and earn the trust of local patrons.  When the owner of Michal’s retired at the end of 2005, Brian was given the opportunity to fulfill his life long goal of owning a storefront.