A gypsy at heart, Nicole is in her element at her booth at the local fair. She was born and raised in Georgia, and has traveled to many places in the United States and Latin America. When she was living in Mexico, artisans would put their wares on blankets, lining the sidewalks along the streets and passers-by, so as not to trip, would have to look at the beautifully intricate pieces of artwork. She was inspired by many of these artists and has shared many adventures in their company.
“A thousand flowers” is the translation for an Italian glass-blowing technique called “millefiori”. While she does not work in the glass medium (yet), this technique has been adopted by many artists who work with polymer clay. Working in this medium is Nicole’s happy place. The vibrant colors can be shaped into whatever image roams into one’s imagination—many of her designs are created at the crack of dawn, right after a dream. Creating polymer beads of all shapes is a process, one which she has been improving upon over the course of many years.
Bead weaving is the perfect complement to making beads. If you were to go to Nicole’s studio, you would find shelves full of boxes and containers of beads of all materials. Her favorites are Japanese seed beads, Czech glass, Swarovski crystals, and semi-precious gemstones. While making polymer beads is very freeform, creating a bead-woven piece is very structural. When all the beads click into place—her heart is happy. The word “bead” comes from an Old English word “bede” which means “prayer”. Spending her time beading is her way of connecting to serenity and happiness, which she tries to share with those who enjoy her jewelry.
When passing through her booth, many people have used the word “happy” to describe her artwork. How beautiful! So, the next time you would like to get outside and stroll through a fair, come visit Nicole’s booth and see what’s on her blanket.