Harpswell is blessed with gorgeous vistas, a vital marine economy and a wonderful community spirit. Perhaps less obvious, the town is also rich in artists and craftspeople. Take, for example, jeweler Tracy Johnson who has lived on Harpswell Neck for 30 years in a house she and her husband built, by hand, the old-fashioned way.

Tracy first learned metalworking skills by working for jewelers in the San Francisco area. After a few years of training she knew it was the right path for her, so she crossed the country to attend the Portland School of Art (now Maine College of Art). It is worth noting that she shared the studio with at least a dozen people who, like her, have gone on to full-time professional careers in the arts, all based in Maine.

Though she describes herself as an extroverted “city girl,” she also values the solace and beauty of nature. Her studio is filled with plants and her designs reflect her connection with organic forms. In fact, she presents her jewelry in collections named with terms from the natural world around her: Bark & Stone, Oak and Leaf, Flower, Vine.

Tracy and her husband and their golden retriever get out on HHLT and town trails as often as they can, with favorites being Potts Point, Mitchell Field and Stover’s Point. She has created a silver brooch called A Walk in the Woods based on the emblematic evergreen trees of Maine. Thirty percent of the sale of each brooch goes directly to the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, a creative way to link her work to the organization and the place she loves. Click here for more information about the brooch.