We recently connected with Karen Swartz and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Karen , thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I’ve always made stuff. My mother was an amazing seamstress and knitted and crocheted as well. I learned how to sew from watching her and made my first article of clothing which was a dress at about age 11. My dad was also very handy and took up photography and carving later in life. From watching my mother sew I learned to make clothing, from watching my dad I learned to make furniture (albeit kind of ugly) but I have a fascination with tools and how they can help me.

Karen , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m originally from Philadelphia and moved to Florida almost seven years ago. I got started making jewelry because I needed a necklace to go with a dress I made for an event and couldn’t find anything I liked within my budget. The logic was if I can make a dress I can make a necklace. So it took off from there.

I started out by beading and using semi-precious stones. I quickly got bored with that. I found out about metalsmithing and took classes at a couple of bead stores and at a local high school that had adult education classes. I was hooked. You mean, I can hit metal and use a torch? I’m there! From then I took an intensive wax carving/stone setting class in Florence, Italy. Then other classes in Philadelphia as I could find them. Then I wound up sharing my knowledge by teaching beginner classes at a couple of bead stores and through a local community arts program. There’s no metalsmithing classes I’ve found nearby in Florida so I’m using the internet to refine my skills and continue learning.

My designs are made by me from components that I’ve made or designs that are from my head; not a store. I want you to have something original, not made of bits that I threw in my cart.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I wish I was able to start earlier and have more formal training. There are many colleges with metalsmithing/jewelry programs that I never knew about, including one right in Philadelphia at Tyler School of Art which is part of Temple University. I come from a very traditional background where girls in my family are supposed to have children and keep house and not further their education. I sadly fell for that…

I think if I had a more structured and traditional coursework in the beginning I’d be further along with my skills. There are things I struggle with because I had to teach myself and maybe that’s not the most efficient/correct way of doing something. Or just learning the historical background of jewelry would be helpful.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I make things that give people joy. Maybe it’s a new pair of earrings, or their new favorite ring, but I made it with my own hands and am passing it along. I realize that might be a simplification, but when a customer comes up to my tent at a market and says “oh,,,,I have to have that!” it fills my heart. My pieces are a little different for the most part. I make each piece by hand. I try to explain to people how that piece is made and why I make it. And it’s a limited number – I don’t make many of the same piece at any given time. For some reason I do things in threes. So that’s pretty much it for a while if something sells out. I enjoy telling someone how I made something; what materials I used, what was the inspiration,

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @tresclaudine
• Facebook: @TresClaudine Artisan Crafted Jewelry by Karen Swartz (or maybe it’s @tresclaudine? FB is not my best thing)
• Other: You can usually find me at the Ybor City Saturday Market most Saturdays. We also do a couple of Sunday markets so check IG for locations or a change in Saturday venue.

Image Credits
N/A – we took them here at the house.