We are back for 2010. A MooBeeView is an opportunity to learn a little more about my fellow Etsians and their many varied talents - but in a slightly quirky style.
This year the first to take up the challenge of the MooBeeView is Nyjole of NyjoleJewellery. Nyjole is a self taught jeweller who has been specialising in wedding jewllery for the last two years. Her work is exquisite, very fine and Nyjole uses only the best of materials, including Swarovski Crystals and Fresh Water Pearls.
So sit back, relax and meet - NyjoleJewellery...
1. Now it is obvious to say that you are a very talented artist when it comes to creating fabulous, intricate pieces of heirloom jewllery - but we all need to know the answer to just one question...is your avatar a picture of you on your wedding day? And as a supplementary question - are you wearing a piece of your own handiwork (details please!)?
Ha, I wish I looked that gorgeous. No, fortunately for me, my avatar picture is of the beautiful Lisa Ellison. I made all the wedding jewellery for her wedding, plus five bridesmaids and one flower girl. I have created and designed for over 60 weddings, but I just love this picture. I had fun collaborating together with Lisa’s mother making sure every details was agreed upon. Lisa lived in Melbourne at the time and I live in North Queensland so therefore all details went through Lisa‘s mother. One of my favorite weddings to this date.
I was also commissioned to design and make jewellery for another wedding in the same family. Lisa’s brother was getting married the next year, so fortunately they contacted me again to do Tallara’s wedding jewellery (see picture).
2. Now that we have that out of the way, your work is so fine and so very detailed and I find many artists often suffer from the same issue of when is enough is enough. How do you determine this with your pieces as I imagine it would be hard to stop sometimes when working with such beautiful materials.
When I create my pieces, I just let things be, sort of a natural process. Things are never planned, otherwise if they are, generally in my experience things never go to plan. Each piece is designed to showcase the gemstones to their best advantage. Freshwater pearls and Swarovski Crystals are my passions. For me wire becomes the extension of my finger tips, wire and I seam to have a connection, an understanding that seams to be in sync. There is a sense, a feeling when enough is enough...having a background in Interior Design has given me a great foundation for symmetry and balance.
3. I'm now seriously considering getting married again so that I can wear your Lace Bracelet - when you work with brides have you ever been asked to create a design that you initially thought was impossble to make, only to find that you have to invent new techniques in order to complete the piece? Could you tell us a little about the process that you went through? (I ask this knowing the answer will be yes!)
Of course, the answer is yes. I find a lot of my commission pieces are unique and original. I go into each design with a fresh mind, sometimes I am quite apprehensive with nerves as to what I am going to come up with. Wondering will I be able to pull this one off. But I do, and things fall into place. As you can tell with my designs they are quite organic and free formed. I am constantly inventing new techniques, ones that even surprises myself. I find I do get bored when making the same designs for my market store Therefore in frustration, I do experiment and tend to come up with new techniques. I also look towards nature for inspiration, and of course anything vintage that has glam and sophistication.
4) And finally, if I told you that one of the following three people was on the phone requesting you to provide jewllery for their impending weddings - Chelsea Clinton, Katy Perry, Robbie Williams - who would you choose, why and what would you make?
Ah a trick question, thought you had me tricked there Karen for a minute.
I was going to say Chelsea Clinton. Bah, I know I’m from the old school and I’m a bit tame and ‘good’ at times… But then I had to google Katy Perry to get some of her pictures…
What the! I am going to say Katy Perry wins with out any doubt. She has that retro glam, sometimes bad look that I love. Katy Perry would look great against my jewellery. A perfect match. Karen can you give Katy my number please!
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I'd like to thank Nyjole for taking the time to answer my questions and letting us in to her elegant world. If you want to learn more about Nyjole and NyjoleJewellery please visit her at one of her online sites:
MooBeeView's 4 Word Review: Jewelled Elegance; Wired Delacacies :-)