By Mary Ellen Riddle
Erin Johnson’s passion for art and design came early and honestly. Her mother, an art education major at East Carolina University, taught her to sew and encouraged her creative streak.
Johnson doodled fashion designs as a child, sketching clothing lines starting around age 9. By age 12, she had a side business selling hair accessories she created using her grandmother’s Singer sewing machine.
She eventually took classes in costume design, design and draping, and accessories design through the theater department at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She graduated with a degree in history, a nod to another of her passions, but art and design continued to call her.
After some research and thought, Johnson chose to pursue metalsmithing and jewelry design. Classes were accessible and less expensive, and the field was not as fiercely competitive as the fashion world.
“You hear a lot of negative feedback from it and very, very few actually succeeded,” says the 37-year-old Manteo native.
After years of study and practice, Johnson now crafts pieces under the moniker Erin Nicole Jewelry and has begun to gain recognition for her work.
But Johnson hasn’t forsaken fashion design, or history. One has to have an understanding of design basics to create jewelry, as well as clothing, and her love of history – personal, local, national and global – shows in her work. Having grown up in a natural wonderland reflects in her jewelry. Johnson is aware of the Native American history of her hometown, and Native American designs are stamped on cuffs she crafts. And, though labor intensive, she is drawn to old world metalsmithing techniques.
photo by Jessie Morrissey / courtesy of the artist
“I like to do things the hard way,” she says with a laugh. “I have always enjoyed the oldest, most classical jewelry techniques, such as forging and hammer work, stone setting and cold connections with rivets and wraps.”
Johnson, who currently lives in South Nags Head, has even made some of her tools. Notably, she made what are called chasing tools. Chasing is the method of striking an imprint with a tool on metal surfaces, which is featured in jewelry making in many cultures. She routinely uses a chasing hammer, a forming hammer and a goldsmith hammer. She primarily works with silver, but also with 14-karat gold fill. She has created designs and patterns such as a Native American sun and southwestern-style imprints.
Johnson insists on fashioning every piece of a jewelry design, even earring wires for a set of earrings, which easily could be purchased to save time.
“Some people use prefab pieces and assemble them,” she says. “I like to make the components myself.” Her way allows her to perfectly match those earring wires to the earrings so they are an integral part of the design. “I like to put my hands on everything,” she says.
Johnson handcrafts earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets using sterling silver, rose gold fill and gold fill. She prefers the organic shapes of natural stones to faceted stones. Turquoise is one of her favorites, as it reminds her of the ocean. She soaks in the textures, shapes and color patterns of the coastline and local flora and fauna. Her designs are not literal translations, but more a feeling related to nature and space – the shapes she forms and the special properties of the stones she uses. She also pays homage to her inspirations by naming her pieces, such as “Lasso the Moon” for a pair of circular earrings with dangling golden strips that playfully move as the wearer does.
After some research and thought, Johnson chose to pursue metalsmithing and jewelry design. Classes were accessible and less expensive, and the field was not as fiercely competitive as the fashion world.
“You hear a lot of negative feedback from it and very, very few actually succeeded,” says the 37-year-old Manteo native.
After years of study and practice, Johnson now crafts pieces under the moniker Erin Nicole Jewelry and has begun to gain recognition for her work.
But Johnson hasn’t forsaken fashion design, or history. One has to have an understanding of design basics to create jewelry, as well as clothing, and her love of history – personal, local, national and global – shows in her work. Having grown up in a natural wonderland reflects in her jewelry. Johnson is aware of the Native American history of her hometown, and Native American designs are stamped on cuffs she crafts. And, though labor intensive, she is drawn to old world metalsmithing techniques.
“I like to do things the hard way,” she says with a laugh. “I have always enjoyed the oldest, most classical jewelry techniques, such as forging and hammer work, stone setting and cold connections with rivets and wraps.”
Johnson, who currently lives in South Nags Head, has even made some of her tools. Notably, she made what are called chasing tools. Chasing is the method of striking an imprint with a tool on metal surfaces, which is featured in jewelry making in many cultures. She routinely uses a chasing hammer, a forming hammer and a goldsmith hammer. She primarily works with silver, but also with 14-karat gold fill. She has created designs and patterns such as a Native American sun and southwestern-style imprints.
photo by Jessie Morrissey / courtesy of the artist
Johnson insists on fashioning every piece of a jewelry design, even earring wires for a set of earrings, which easily could be purchased to save time.
“Some people use prefab pieces and assemble them,” she says. “I like to make the components myself.” Her way allows her to perfectly match those earring wires to the earrings so they are an integral part of the design. “I like to put my hands on everything,” she says.
Johnson handcrafts earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets using sterling silver, rose gold fill and gold fill. She prefers the organic shapes of natural stones to faceted stones. Turquoise is one of her favorites, as it reminds her of the ocean. She soaks in the textures, shapes and color patterns of the coastline and local flora and fauna. Her designs are not literal translations, but more a feeling related to nature and space – the shapes she forms and the special properties of the stones she uses. She also pays homage to her inspirations by naming her pieces, such as “Lasso the Moon” for a pair of circular earrings with dangling golden strips that playfully move as the wearer does.
Erin Johnson, metalsmith
What: Contemporary jewelry
Where: Dare County Arts Council, 300 Queen Elizabeth Ave., Manteo, 252-473-5558, noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; Down Creek Gallery, 260 Irvin Garrish Hwy., Ocracoke, 252- 928-4400, call for hours.
Contact: erinnicolejewelry.com, @erinnicolejewelryobx (Facebook), @erinnicolejewelry (Instagram)