Meet Tracy Lynn Tucker of TLTJewelry

Tracy Lynn Tucker is no stranger to the world of holistic healing. From a very young age, she was fascinated by the power of gemstones, crystals, herbal formulas and Chinese medicine. She was determined to turn her passion into a career. Or two.

Tucker first got into jewelry-making while taking silversmithing and jewelry classes at Lake Highlands High School. After learning the basics, she picked up an apprenticeship with a silversmith at the old Olla Podrida artisan mall shortly after graduating in 1985. As she honed her craft, she went on the road and began selling beadwork and other pieces at Renaissance fairs across the country, including in Texas, New York, Colorado, Kansas and Ohio.

Tucker then decided to take up another job as a massage therapist. In 1993, she graduated from the Austin School of Massage Therapy and worked on and off for 16 years out of an Austin acupuncture office owned by Dee Ann Newbold. Here, Newbold performed acupuncture on Tucker, the first treatment that ever improved her migraines.

Inspired to give her patients a similar sense of relief and healing, Tucker began acupuncture school at AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine in 2009. After five years of relentless work, including rigorous training sessions, countless hours of classroom instruction and hands-on practice, she graduated with her Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, soon earning her Texas acupuncture license and national certification.

Tucker then moved back to Lake Highlands with her school friend Bryan Ellett, where she joined his acupuncture clinic, Lake Highlands Acupuncture.

As she settled down to set up her studio for TLTJewelry, she was suddenly forced into online sales when COVID-19 hit. Though seemingly an inconvenience, this allowed Tucker to build her brand over time, selling more and more products to friends like Hannah from the biannual art fair at Orr Reed Architectural Co., an architectural salvage company.

How would you define your brand?

My brand is so much like the jewelry I wanted to have when I was a little kid. It reminds me of the ’70s and early ’80s. One of the very first items I started making were mood rings, which I loved as a kid. I make a lot of sea glass rings, hoop earrings and big elaborate necklaces. My friend Rick Dodson in the Hill Country is a glass artist and makes little glass hearts for me. I set those in silver with crystals and hand-make the chains. They are my higher-end art pieces, all one-of-a-kind.

Which elements matter most to you for future pieces?

I recently got a rolling mill from my boyfriend, so I want to start using more reclaimed silver, melting other pieces down to make something new. I’ve made a few pieces with antique glass buttons and broken ceramic pieces. I like taking unusual materials and setting them in jewelry pieces as if they were gemstones. I can also mix stones, which is analogous to making an herbal formula. I want to use a Chinese medical approach more often to pick the stones that pair together, using crystal combinations to calm people’s nerves.

What is your process like?

Everything is fully fabricated by me; I’m not buying components. I use sheet silver or wire and build the bezels from sheet silver. If I were making a ring, I would take a stone, build the bezel fence around it, solder that to a piece of silver for its back and cut it out with a saw. I can make a band to put it on from either sheet silver or wide wire. When I make chains, every single link is cut and soldered by me. I really like the tedium when soldering tiny things.

What is your favorite thing the process?

I can get lost. I just love having these flat materials and turning them into 3D items that feel valuable, shiny and precious. I can turn off the rest of the world. I like how the wire and flat metal turns into something that looks rich and elegant, from almost nothing to something big. The end product is so much more than the sum of its parts. When I’m selling, I really love when people light up and connect with my pieces. Especially when selling to women my age, I’ll trigger a happy childhood memory and emotional response.

Do you have any events coming up for your business?

I sell at the Orr Reed artisans markets in Dallas. The next one will be on Nov. 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s a really fun fair!

At acupuncture school, did you share similar motivations for attendance with your classmates?

Everybody I knew at school was like, “I got hurt in a car wreck, and the only thing that helped was acupuncture.” It was this running story. Almost all of us attended because something had happened to us and acupuncture was the only thing that helped us sort it out. It’s really amazing medicine.

Describe your acupuncture practice.

The first visit involves me asking a whole bunch of questions and looking at the patient in general. In Chinese medicine, it’s all about the senses, like how the patient sounds, breathes, looks and moves. I choose needle points based on that consultation. When I perform acupuncture, I generally let people rest with the needles for 20 to 28 minutes before taking them out. I can also lean back on my massage therapy training if necessary. I do cupping, herbal treatments, supplements and other modalities, too. A lot of people just need more minerals in their lives. Some people just need more vegetables. Chinese medicine is very big on dietary therapy and considering how the foods you eat affect your body.

How is acupuncture different from other medicinal approaches?

It’s more than just acupuncture; it’s a modality of Chinese medicine. What I like about Chinese medicine is that it looks at the entire person. Instead of just treating headaches, I look at the person sitting in front of me and address the imbalance that is making them have a headache. I’m looking at the whole person, how they respond and where they are emotionally. My teachers always said to treat what you see, so I’m always looking at the patient.

What is your favorite thing about acupuncture?

When I see people get better, it feels like solving a puzzle that allows their body to heal. It’s great to see the progress they have made.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.