|
|
Calling small town Orange City, Iowa her home, Nicole was raised in a family where art materials were always close at hand. After attending Northwestern College for two years, she transferred to the University of Iowa, graduating with a BFA in sculpture in 1998. Immediately following she inrolled in the welding program at Kirkwood in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, finishing less than a year later. In the spring of 1999 she married Dewane Hughes, a sculptor and college professor, and moved to Lamoni, Iowa. The next year was spent completing a life size bronze commission for Sentry Insurance. 2000 brought another move, this time to Joplin, Missouri, where she started work as a welder, but soon switched to prototype maker and consultant for Sandstone Gardens, a home and garden decor company. During the next five years, Nicole started making ceramic jewelry as a hobby, but found she preferred sterling and semiprecious stones. In 2005, a move to Whitehouse, TX was a catalyst for her switch to making jewelry full time. "While I am attracted to bright candy colors, I am also going for an organic softness. Using gemstones and freshwater pearls offers a full range of hues, as well as subtle variations that occur naturally in the materials. Mixing translucent, iridescent, and opaque materials contrasts shifts in color, texture, and value. When working the components of a pair of earrings or a necklace, both consistency and a handmade look are important. Fusing wires softens hard edges and hammering emphasizes the way light reflects off the surface of the metal. I want the elements of each piece to appear as if they have grown there like leaves or buds on a branch. |