In the Spotlight: Mary Garoutte of Swallow & Twig

When I first decided I wanted to open my own shop selling Nova Scotian handmade products I came up with a wish list of artists I wanted to approach – at the top of my list of must have products was a line of hand-painted  jewellery by Mary Garoutte.

I had first discovered Mary’s whimsical line Swallow and Twig while Christmas shopping last year. Her miniature paintings on recycled silver spoons were right up my free-cycle loving alley! With delicate images inspired by nature and Victorian life, Mary creates wearable art that any fashionable lady would be proud to wear.




Mary is an artist-painter-turned-jeweler, who graduated from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. It was while studying there, that hard work, challenge, and creative media were instilled into her.

Mary’s post-graduation years have been spent painting through freelance and commission work, and it was only in recent years that she decided to incorporate her painting background and skills into hand-painted jewelry. Mary says this new direction into jewelry has stretched and challenged her in ways that have improved her overall painting practice as a whole, and she enjoys the wearable art component to her hand-painted jewelry, as she believes fine art should be a part of the everyday.

Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin

Many influences have shaped the aesthetic of Mary’s work, which range from vintage printed and illustrated imagery in children's books, such as Beatrix Potter, tales from the Brothers Grimm and nursery rhymes. She also loves the bold and powerful forms of early to mid 20th Century design.

Art Nouveau and Art Deco are to her the most impressionable design forms from that time period, and are probably the most evident in her jewelry designs. She is also inspired by the light-hearted and playful art forms of kitsch and folk art, and she loves to contrast with more dark and sinister influences such as the wonderful illustrations of Edward Gorey.

While investigating the background of miniature work, Mary became very fond of art and graphics from the Victorian era, as miniature work played a great role in art-making, souvenirs and other minutia from that time period. Another popular past-time for the Victorians was the art of Shadow-boxing. Christopher Cornell 's work is a lovely example of this and a source of inspiration. Like him, Mary shares a love of birds, a predominate subject in her work.

Currently we have a selection of Mary’s earrings, rings and belt buckles in stock in the shop. If you are trying to come up with a little special something for you loved one this season, then I invite you to check out our online shop and get your hands on your own miniature masterpiece!