A fascination with adornment in other cultures and the intimate link between jewelry and the body drew McCarthy to metalsmithing. “Why do people wear stuff?” he asks himself. McCarthy experiments with new materials, combining non-traditional materials with fine metals, and makes wearable objects that honor the history of jewelry as well as speak to the present.

Most people would see Tom McCarthy’s work as innovative. He routinely uses unusual materials to create his handmade jewelry. When asked if he sees himself as an innovator, McCarthy responds that he is more closely connected to tradition.

“Innovation is overvalued today and may be just a marketing ploy. There are other aspects of work that are more important than innovation.”

He does agree, however, that his work is evolving, becoming looser. "All materials are fair game," he says. McCarthy tends to work intuitively, arranging the materials littering his work table, things many would consider detritus, experimenting with odd combinations until something works. So began one of his most recent series of jewelry, which uses small black rubber tubes connected with sterling silver and hung with pearls.