Artist Statement

I love to wear and create jewelry which is also an object of conversation. My work incorporates beads and elements which possess something extraordinary. It may be their timeless beauty, a fascinating history or just something purely magical. I feel a strong connection to antique, handcrafted components such as the antique Meerschaum pipes in this jewelry series. Beads are powerful artifacts, especially those that have passed through generations of hands throughout the globe. The beads which I painstakingly select for my projects are tiny objects of wonder, skill and artistry; rich in lore while growing more beautiful with age.

As an artist, I aim to create work with original vision, something I’ve never seen before. The pipe necklaces began simply enough when I picked up a pipe at a flea market. Not knowing what it actually was, I saw it as a bead...an interesting object with a hole running through it. When told it was a tobacco pipe, I was immediately drawn into an unknown new world and soon began to research and accumulate more antique pipes. The more I learned, the more remarkable they became. I am touched by their history, and the fact that anonymous people so skillfully carved these utilitarian objects over a century ago. It is a pleasure to be their caretaker for a short while and then pass their history along. Designing jewelry to showcase such beautiful components has altered my perception of what a necklace could be and is continually inspiring.

Although my love of beads was born in the 1970’s, I didn’t begin using them to make jewelry until recuperating from an illness in 1991. Beadwork became my creative touchstone during 10 years of kidney dialysis and a 2002 kidney transplant. It developed into a meditative work tool, continuously helping me heal body and spirit. As a result, I feel nourished from my work and feel that this positive energy extends from my hands to each piece of jewelry that I create.

-Myra Schwartz, Beadsmith