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NIKI LEIST

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Niki Leist's journey into the world of jewelry began in high school, where she was first exposed to the basics of metalsmithing. Although she went to university to study Art and more specifically painting, she kept returning to her love of jewelry and handwork. After spending over a decade in corporate project management and customer service, a significant life event—the birth of her child—prompted Niki to pursue a career that brought her joy and pride. In 2022, Niki was awarded a spot in NextFab’s Artisan Accelerator, an eight-week program focused on business strategy. Through this program, and with help from her local Small Business Development Center, she created Niki Leist, the jewelry brand. She was honored with Pennsylvania’s Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program Grant in 2023 and was selected as a Halstead Grant Finalist in 2024. Niki lives and works in Philadelphia, PA. You can find her jewelry in boutiques and shops across the country including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and work with her directly to create custom jewelry. 5% of her website sales are donated to local organizations working to support her local community.
ARTIST STATEMENT
An intuitive love for form-making and the rhythmic actions of handcrafting inform my process. By using techniques like lost wax casting and keum-boo, I create jewelry with swooping curves and twisting edges, juxtaposing high-polish and matte textures. These curves and textures manipulate light to create shadows, edges, and depth, bringing movement to the work as it responds to the wearer's landscape. One could liken the resulting work to the force of water and wind on land, sand dunes, and flowing architecture. Mirroring the effects of wind on land further accentuates the resulting visual movement within my work.