Mineral & Meridian is a small business based in Santa Fe, New Mexico specializing in handmade wire wrapped jewelry run by me, Nicole Lawe. All items are handmade by me personally—though sometimes my children "help" by coming in and mixing up all of my wires, or grabbing beads and running off laughing maniacally. So really you could say it's more of a joint effort.

I'm from Northern California, a member of the Karuk Tribe, and I came to New Mexico to attend the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA). I received a BFA in Studio Arts at IAIA in 2016 and returned to work there as well in 2020. And, of course, I am a mother to two unruly children who crave chaos.

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This little side business is the result of years of wire wrapping experience with a touch of family tradition. After years of slinging rocks and fossils on the side—another family tradition—my grandmother learned wire wrapping as a way to wear some of her favorite fossils and stones. Before she knew it folks were requesting jewelry. They say "don't quit your day job" when starting out a small business. In fact, she always says that. Yet she did exactly that anyway and retired from her teaching job, moved to Hawaii, and started making jewelry full-time. So, naturally, I spent much of my time as a kid watching her work. It didn't take long before I was sitting next to her wire wrapping stones myself at the age of 10, and out at craft fairs selling with her.

 

So the tradition continues!