We had the good fortune of connecting with Jamie Dyer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jamie, let’s talk legacy – what do you want yours to be?
I want people to remember me as someone who looks beyond the surface: someone that appreciates the nuances and impact of even “small achievements” and can extract meaning and joy from the pragmatic and common. It is easy for life to seem mundane if not given proper attention. Channeling sights, emotion, and ideas conjured up in other areas of my life into inspiration for the jewelry I create is one way that I try to celebrate the richness of life. Ultimately, I hope to be remembered as someone that pays attention to beauty everywhere, and I hope that I can inspire others to do the same.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Working on a PhD in high energy particle physics is my main occupation, and I create jewelry in my copious* spare time. My third love is outdoor recreation. Though the balancing act continues to be a challenge, I consider myself very lucky to be in a position where I get to pursue my interest in science, create art, and play outdoors on a weekly basis. My path to this point was far from easy, or linear. My learning style has always leant itself well to math, and my upbringing in the high desert landscapes of Northern Utah fostered an appreciation for nature from a young age. The field of physics sits on the overlap of analytic thinking and a curiosity about nature.

I took up beading during the2019/20 winter holiday a few months into my graduate program. The intensity, volume, and abstract nature of coursework at the beginning of the program made me crave a hobby expressive, nonessential, and tactile. Creating beaded earrings was just the ticket! Not only was I able to slow down and reconnect to my creative inclinations through beading, it also served as a medium through which I could reinterpret and channel other areas of my life – from abstract forms thought up while studying physics to landscapes that offered me adventure and comfort outside of school.

Today I am most excited about continuing to see how Seedling grows . The more I study, explore the outdoors, and engage with my community in Fort Collins including other artists, the more inspiration I get to make jewelry. I have so many earring ideas swirling around in my head at any given moment, and I can’t wait to bring them to fruition. I’m even more excited to share them with others – it’s such an honor whenever someone connects to my work as it truly is a labor of love.

* Do asterisks effectively convey sarcasm?

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First stop: La Creperie & French Bakery of Fort Collins! Best croissants in the world. Trail run in Lory State Park, followed by a dip in Horsetooth reservoir, lunch at My Empanadas or Asiana Foods, Monday night community Underberg shots at The Forge, rock climbing/skiing/fishing up the Poudre, a visit to Wolverine Farm for coffee and encounters with the literary arts, $5 Mondays at Match Ups for billiards.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Mom and Dad, who kept the art supplies closet stocked and didn’t force us to clean up the craft table, even though it was in the front room of the house – that mess sparked a lot of creativity.

Losaunne, Haysun, and Sarah, for the numerous late night conversations that fostered curiosity at the intersection of science, the arts, and humanities in my young adulthood.

My Fort Collins family that helped me survive graduate level physics coursework, and even laugh a little (no, a lot) along the way. Also for being the first to endorse my entirely impractical idea of starting a jewelry making business amid the storm.

Professor Dawson for teaching me that Universe ought to be capitalized.

Website: https://seedlingjewelryco.com/

Instagram: @seedlingjewelryco

Other: email: seedlingjewelryco@gmail.com

Image Credits
Parker Measom, Samuel Cooper, Jamie Dyer

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