Designer Spotlight: Nicky Ruxton
A brief story of what you do and why you do it.
I collect all kinds of small used findings and love the process of letting the objects tell me what they want to be. The jewelry is an extension of my passion for collage. I love working with unusual materials, recycled materials, and the sourcing of materials is as exciting as designing with them. Turning parts into product is pure pleasure.
How did you get into jewelry design?
I got into jewelry design quite by accident. A friend took me to a metal scrap reseller where they had bins with nuts and bolts and springs etc. My brain exploded. I went back a week later and stocked up on rusty bits, went home and asked my muse to have her way with me. She's been doing so ever since.
What makes your collection unique?
My collection is unique because of my character, life experiences, perspective and background as a Graphic Designer. My graphic sensibility, my aesthetic and my gift for putting disparate objects together is unlike anyone else. You can look at my work and definitely know it’s from my collection.
What are your inspirations?
My inspiration comes from any source. Although my forms aren’t organic I can be influenced by nature, music or a moment in time. That said, a new, unusual finding, bead or button will capture my imagination the most. I’m working on a custom necklace order with a muskrat skull as the focal point… quite thrilling.
How are you making a difference in your life?
My life is completely different now that I have given myself permission to go after my creative dreams in a more dynamic way. My life is filled with art and jewelry and creative people where it used to be filled with corporate procedure, limitations and masculine structure. I'm a beacon of hope to my social circle who see that dreaming can be the first step into a new way of life.
What's something unusual about you that makes you “you”?
The thing that makes me “me” is my striving to improve my character and become a better person on a daily basis and in helping others. I have the capacity to inspire those around me and they go on to inspire others. I’m a spirit lifter. Jewelry making is just my medium to accomplish the larger, more important life calling.
What's the biggest struggle in running your jewelry business like a business?
My biggest struggle in running my jewelry business is being just one person. Not all the hats I have to wear fit me well. I often spend way more time on the administrative side then I do the creative/production side. I don’t always know how to behave like an entrepreneur but with tools from Flourish & Thrive obstacles have solutions around every corner.
About Nicky
Nicky Ruxton is a traditionally trained Graphic Designer. Her decade’s long love affair with mixed-media collage is carried over into her industrial jewelry brand. She juxtaposes fabric and found objects to create her unconventional wearable art offerings.
Website: www.RuxtonDesigns.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/RuxtonDesigns
Etsy: www.Etsy.com/shop/RuxtonDesigns
