Wednesday, May 23, 2012

nia nadii and her clay beads

bracelets too.
-pretty nia nadii and her bead necklace
goddesses are few and far between. because i am a self proclaimed one i tend to be able to identify them on sight. they come in many shapes, forms, sizes and from near and far. there are african goddesses, european goddesses, harlem goddesses, brooklyn goddesses and philadelphian goddesses too. for me goddess culture is a way of life and thinking . the goddess reference point is the self. not in the individualistic context but a wholisitc one. goddess culture says ; in cultivating an independent self  outside of restrictive thought.... gives you freedom . it removes or displaces you from the burden and or barriers that are applied when one lives and applies to thier life limited thought and thinking. the goddess has a value system and ethics. she is busy with evolution thus,her children, her family and most importantly her community evolve along side her. so you'll find that some goddesses will be mothers in non-traditional family settings, thier diet and eating habits will consist of foods in the pyramid or not at all...goddesses and their life styles vary but there is one thing that they have in common and that  is they are  free.this particular goddess i met in philadlelphia while vending costume jewelry in university city. she was a regular and a favorite. she  would  always buy  really interesting pieces of my jewelry that she explained, she would use to make her own. the following year i ran into nia and she had began her own jewelry line but instead of using pieces and beads, she decided to make her own beads out of clay. brilliant. here is a brief interview with nia nadii and her hand crafted jewelry from  her hand crafted clay beads. karimu abena hamilton

1.where are you from?I'm from a small town Michigan,

2. how did you get involved in jewelry making? I got involved in jewelry because I couldn't find anything I wanted to wear so I started making things

3.who is your market ? My jewelry is wearable art so I market to artists or those who need to tap into their inner artists
4. how did you come up with the idea to make your own beads? My initial idea was to buy beads but I thought of that being unoriginal and lazy so I thought of doing wood but felt it would take long to learn to use the wood carving tools, so I heard someone talking about clay bowls and a light went off.

5.how is business? Business is good, im just so busy with work that i need to transition from employee to jewelry designer for business to go great.6. What advice do you have for emerging independent business owners such as your self ? I would say be organized (which im not), network (which i don't do), and be consistent with working on designs and perfecting the craft (which i do), and always remain optimistic because you never know what your ideas will turn into if you stick with them.

7.i understand that you are vegan can you explain to me how that has impacted your life? Prior to me becoming a vegan i was experiencing a lot of uncertainty in life. there was a lack of awareness. now that iam a raw vegan i have so much more clarity and tons of energy .. vegan means awareness for me.


8.explain to me your creative process in making clay beads? Essentially i just take clay pick colors, bake and shape. If I am inspired by a concept then i will plan.

wow

earrings

 

2 comments:

  1. Nia has some wonderful pieces right. Great Pics

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  2. Go 'head Sistah. Your insightful questions gave a wonderful look into the brilliance and energy of this artist. Nia has gumption, get-up-and-go energy, let's do this and make it happen faith. I find her impressive and a bright role model for our creative young ones. Great interview. Nia is going to blow up!
    Oh yes and I want some earrings....!!!

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