Nurit Niskala's Mixed Media Jewelry

The bling of beads dance with the malleability of metal

Sea Life Necklace: Weaving, wire wrapping, hand painting with Swarovski crystals, pearls, turquoise stone nuggets and gold coated wire ($169)

It took a few false starts for Nurit Niskala to find a path to happiness. She knew how important it was to seek that passion when at the age of 28 she had a near-death experience. Life is to be enjoyed!

Trained as an architect, she loved the design aspect, but didn’t enjoy the math. Seeking a more creative direction, she started a very successful fashion line in Israel that was marketed in Europe.

After losing that business in a divorce, she started over again — in Manchester, NH, about eight years ago. Jewelry would give her another creative outlet and she already had her grandfather’s metalsmithing tools.

“If you love what you do, it shows,” says Niskala. Her work is lithe and flowing even though crafted from hard metals and basic beads. Using a technique called wire-wrapping, she assembles a collage of beads and metal shapes twisted into a wearable form. Her NuraBella design line is affordable and color-coordinated, which shows her hand as a former fashion designer. Her other line, NuArt, is rich with the wire-wrapping technique again, but necklaces are set on hand-formed oxidized copper or sterling silver collars. Sometimes the beads are minimal and the wire wrapping is subtle, but it is still there as a signature statement. Each piece from the NuArt collection is one-of-a-kind while the NuraBella line is designed for production.

Niskala’s pieces range from simple twisted-wire-and-bead earrings to red carpet pieces that really make a fashion statement. “I follow industry trends, and big jewelry has been popular for about five years,” she says. Other trends? “The Pantone color of the year is Marsala, a wine shade that works very well with pearls.”

Niskala will be exhibiting her affordable NuraBella line ($18 to $100) at the Made in NH Expo at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester from April 17 to 19. She will be exhibiting her NuArt line ($100 to $300) at the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen Fair at Sunapee this August and she currently shows at the league headquarters in Concord. In addition, her work is available at her studio/gallery in Manchester and online.