I grew up in Michigan, graduated college from University of Massachusetts with double majors in Biology and Psychology. After graduation I worked as a marine ecologist sampling inter-tidal zones and writing environmental impact statements for the EPA.

Part of the job involved SCUBA diving in shallow marine environments. I’ve become an avid diver and spend as many vacations as possible exploring coral reefs. In addition, traveling in our western States, I discovered the awesome beauty of desert landscapes, and have spent many months camping in the wilds of Utah.

I’ve been interested in crafts since childhood, although I have no formal training. While in school, I sold gemstone and macramé bracelets of my designs in Harvard Square. Now a recent retiree, I work mainly with seed beads and stained glass. I try to capture nature’s beauty by weaving intricate patterns with these miniature glass beads, a time consuming process. A simple bracelet may take 4 to 6 hours to complete. A recent miniature took 40 hours!

Carol Swoyer’s Jewelry Inspiration

The inspiration for my jewelry comes from nature; an orange, apple, and mango in a fruit bowl; the tail of a parrot fish off the coast of Bonaire; the woven leaves of a climbing vine! The purple, green, blue, and turquoise of shallow seas and the red, rust, and orange of desert canyons are colors I am most drawn to. You’ll see these colors repeated in my work as I try to imitate the splendor of this beautiful planet.