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Trying to capture a piece of the world around me in paint is something that has consumed my life since the age of thirteen. This has led me to study the techniques of master painters from the Renaissance to the Modern. Oil and pastel are the mediums I use to convey this personal vision.

Working very closely with nature "en plein air", on location, has led to a much greater appreciation of the natural world around me. Photography, a useful tool, is not a substitute for being there and becoming a part of the exchange of nature, eye and mind. Light is the motivating factor; without it there would be nothing. Leonardo Da Vinci was once quoted as saying. "You have but one master and that is Nature".

I was born in the Rogue Valley of Oregon and spent my youth growing up with the rivers and mountains that form this special place. It is from these subjects that I receive inspiration. My goal is to capture a piece of the spontaneous dance of light across the palette of nature. Working on location forces me to get in touch with the moment allowing no time for detailed studies of things. I hope my pieces are like a glance when we see something that makes us linger for a moment.
Richard McKinley

Armed with new creations, Lee hit the craft shows more frequently over the next several years. Business grew. So did his relationships with other jewelers. Gabriel Ofresh and a group from Charlottesville, Virginia, were especially encouraging. At the same time, Wild, Wonderful West Virginia was becoming become a little too wild. When floods, isolation, and harsh weather sent Lee and Pam searching for a new place to settle, Pam suggested Charlottesville. They moved in 1984.

Lee continued to develop new designs. He studied intermediate and advanced stone setting at the Revere Academy in 1986. His pieces became stronger, yet retained a sense of playfulness. They reflected his theory that jewelry should be “serious fun” for the wearer. In 1998 he opened Angelo, a jewelry store, in the Old Michie Building just off Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall.

Today, Marraccini Designs employs six production jewelers at 206 West Market Street in Charlottesville. Lee’s pieces have won numerous awards at art shows around the country and sell to private clients through shows, specialty jewelry stores, and high-end craft galleries. He also sells his full line at Angelo, which moved to the Downtown Mall proper in 2000.