Christina Nicole Studio

It’s hard to separate our livelihood from our journey together. Our narrative as artisans is intertwined with the story of our relationship and seems at times, the two are symbiotic in nature. As we are maturing, we are noticing our place in the journey reflects itself in our creativity and the inspiration of our craft.

The air was warm in early June that evening in Greenville, South Carolina on the bank of the Reedy River that runs through the heart of downtown. A crowd formed around the grand opening of a new artist studio. It was the opening night of Christina Nicole’s first retail space. It was also the

night Travis made the four and a half hour drive to surprise Christina after she stole his heart the weekend before. Since that time, they’ve been inseparable: best friends, lovers, crafters and artisans.

Four years later...Our home is filled with greenery, open windows, the smell of pine, rosemary and citrus simmering on the stove and the sound of hammering resonates from the studio. Christina is working a piece of sterling silver while Heidi, our german shepherd is laying around, getting up only to insist on her hourly head scratch. It’s our life. In between filling orders and crafting new pieces, Christina heads to the garden to prune, cut and harvest vegetables. Chickens cluck and flap in anticipation of a treat or two.

We’ve learned to live with more quality and less quantity... and to work up a sweat from hard work. To be honest, we couldn’t be happier or more at peace.

Drive and determination have really been the fuel to ‘perfecting’ technique and craftsmanship in our

jewelry. Our love for nature, the beauty of creation, and our own wanderings through the property are what shape us and our work. The journey has led us to our homestead in rural North Carolina where we craft our handmade pieces from our home studio. Travis acts as the sounding board for Christina and contributes mostly in the development stages of the jewelry while Christina takes the blueprints and brings them to life.

We utilize traditional metalsmithing techniques while incorporating some quirky touches of our own that make our jewelry unique to us. We don’t cut corners, we don’t let “easy” take the best of us. Whether it’s plowing the garden, working our land or shaping metal, we get our hands dirty and we work hard.

Our vision for Christina Nicole is the same for our lives and our home; natural, healthy growth and sowing what we reap. We believe that anything with

a solid foundation is made to last. It is our desire as a family to live off the land, to work with our hands, to love our neighbors while sharing stories and making memories, living in the everyday. Whatever it is that we set our minds to, we are committed to doing it well. Each piece of jewelry we make is a little part of our story...one you can wear.

PHOTOGRAPHY: KRISTIN SHYLA