What you’ll learn in this episode:   How Nicola allows for spontaneity in her work, and how she decides when a piece is done Why the texture and physical sensation of jewelry is just as important as its aesthetic Why Nicola hopes her jewelry connects the wearer to nature How Nicola has forged successful relationships with galleries throughout Europe How metals can combine to create harmonious color combinations   About Nicola Heidemann Nicola Heidemann is a German art jeweler who seeks, through her work, to express her closeness to nature. Heidemann is interested in the ways the shapes and colors of the natural environment inform our sense of beauty, and she considers herself to be a collector—of allusions, impressions, associations.   Additional Resources: Nicola’s Website Nicola’s Instagram   Photos available on TheJewelryJourney.com Transcript: Like nature itself, Nicola Heidemann’s jewelry can never be completely controlled. Using heat coloring techniques to create jewelry that evokes the beauty of the natural world, Nicola allows the material to tell her when the piece is finished. She joined the Jewelry Journey Podcast to talk about the materials she uses the most; why the ability to touch and carry her jewelry is central to her work; and why she hopes her jewelry bonds the wearer to nature. Read the episode transcript here.     Sharon: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Jewelry Journey Podcast. This is the second part of a two-part episode. If you haven’t heard part one, please head to TheJewelryJourney.com.   Today, my guest is Nicola Heidemann. She’s based in Germany, in Stuttgart, and she founded Nicola Heidemann Jewelry. Welcome back.    I have the earrings and I have the bracelet. It’s a bunch of connections. Do you think about that? Did you sketch out the earrings before you started, or do you sketch out a necklace?   Nicola: Yes, I do. Also, I have a leitmotif to have a memory of how I did it. Most of the time, I also sketch the shapes of the pebbles. For example, the bracelet you have, the pebbles have to match together. I sketch this connection of the pebbles and the shapes of the pebbles so that they are fitting together.    Sharon: Is that how it forms a bond? You say that jewelry forms a bond with nature. How does it form a bond, and what kind of bond does it form?   Nicola: Mainly through my memory or my soul. I feel quite connected with nature. I’m a gardener. A lot of time I spend in my garden and outside in the woods. It’s like a sense or a feeling. It’s my feeling with my bonds to nature. I hope to trigger this. When a person is seeing my jewelry, I hope it’s functioning. I don’t know.   Sharon: Do you think it’s important that somebody understands that before they buy a piece of jewelry? Some artists think it’s important that somebody knows the philosophy. Some do. Some don’t. Do you think it’s important that people know the philosophy behind your jewelry?   Nicola: For me, no, it’s not important. First of all, it’s important that the people have a feeling and they fall in love and they have their own ideas with a piece. Maybe later they can read about my philosophy, but on the first side, I hope the piece is triggering these feelings. So, for me, philosophy is later.   Sharon: I’m curious. How do you sell? Do you sell mostly at popups like Schmuck? Do you sell to galleries, or do you ramp up because Christmas is coming? How do you work?   Nicola: I sell exclusively with galleries. For me, that’s the best way because they know the audience; they know my work. I have wonderful gallerists and gallery owners who are supporting me and I am in connection with them. I always have discussions with them. It’s really supportive. I love this gallery system because I can work at my studio. I send them my pieces and they say, “O.K., people love it,” or sometimes, “Please make it a bit shorter.” I love that.   Sharon: Do they ask you for changes sometimes? Like you said, they want it shorter. Do they say to you, “