This marriage of beauty and function stayed with me, and my appreciation of tracery deepened as I researched it further. I discovered that as the complexity of tracery increased, so did the need for masons to draw out their designs in advance. This documentation step was necessary both as a way of experimenting with patterns and as a way of communicating those designs to other craftsmen and the customer. To get around the size limitations of parchment sheets, these designs would often be etched into a whitewashed board or a conveniently placed section of wall; in the latter case, the wall would be covered with a thin layer of plaster so the design would show more clearly. This, too, stayed with me, and much like the masons of old, I have a reputation with coworkers and friends for drawing design elements full scale on the sub-floor or a handy wall to think through all the details of a design before we build it.

​

As a licensed Professional Engineer, that moment of awe in the face of overwhelming, handcrafted detail, and long-lasting workmanship meant that there was really only one possible name for my company: Tracery Professional Builders, Inc.

​

​

                                                                         -Mark Macdonald, President and Professional Engineer