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 partner helps with wire cutting and filing duties, and other times my son "helps" by coming in and mixing up all of my wires. 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 recently returned to work there as well. And, of course, I am a mother of an unruly feral toddler and a perfect angelic baby.

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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. Well, before she knew it folks were requesting jewelry. So she did what any insane person would do and retired from her teaching job at a fairly early age. Then her, my grandpa, and my uncle moved to Hawaii and built a successful business selling handmade jewelry—and they are still in business to this day. So, naturally, I spent a lot of time as a kid watching her work. It didn't take long before I was sitting next to her making jewelry myself and out at craft fairs selling with her. So the tradition continues, and perhaps I'll retire and go live by the beach one of these days...