Meet Carol Lipworth | Jewelry Designer

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

Hi Carol, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
The bottom line is that being creative is in my DNA. I grew up drawing and painting and crafting with my sister, who is also an artist. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have some creative project in the works. When I was 11, I was asked to do a one-woman (girl) art show of my drawings and paintings at my school. Even when I was working in the corporate world, I would find myself seeking out design work wherever I could find it. When I was finally in a position to change direction, going into a full-time artistic career was the only place I wanted to go. My only regret is not doing it sooner!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My driving force is to create beauty. I design and make one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted jewelry that is recognized for its unique color combinations, organic shapes and interesting materials. I hand-select every stone, pearl and piece of metal I use in my creations and seek out only the most unique gems I can find. I’m always on the lookout for something new: a different cut, a recently discovered stone or an antique item I can incorporate into a modern design. It all began, like so many, as a hobby that quickly turned into a passion and then a thriving business. Was it easy? Yes and No. The parts of the business I enjoyed were easy; the parts I didn’t like were challenging. My biggest challenge was, and still is, finding places to sell my work. I’ve never enjoyed the rejection, which indefinitely happens, but understanding that it isn’t personal helped a lot. I also found that I had to keep trying, keep pushing forward and adjust my approach when needed. What lessons have I learned? Well, a few. Its imperative that you love what you do. If you don’t, move on and find something that makes your heart sing because life is too short not to. Believe in yourself even when it feels like others don’t. Listen to your customers; they will always tell you what you are doing well and what you aren’t. Be relentless about quality and customer service. And finally, share what you’ve learned and support others in their endeavors. My work continues to evolve and each season brings out something new and different in me and my designs. I’m thrilled to have so many collectors who appreciate these changes and look forward to the latest from Carol Lipworth Designs!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We just had friends visit from San Diego before the shutdown and here’s what we did: 1. Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with a Willie Nelson concert at the end – there’s nothing that says “Texas” more than this, 2. A day at NASA – the tours and exhibits are out of this world!, 3. The Art Car Museum (or the parade if its the right time of year); 4. Walk the ring around Memorial Park or along the Bayou, 5. Bat viewing at the Waugh Overpass, 6. Eat, eat, eat! A few of our local favorites are: Vieng Thai, Huyhn Vietnamese, Liberty Taco, Lupe Tortillas, e’Toile, Himalaya, Pondicheri and Hugo’s.

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?
I’d like to dedicate this to my customers, who have supported my work and encouraged me to keep designing and creating.

Website: www.CarolLipworth.com
Instagram: @CLipworth
Linkedin: /carol-lipworth
Facebook: /CarolLipworthDesigns
Other: Pinterest – /CarolLipworth

Image Credits
Jeff Sturgess Photography, Sandra LaForge Photography