Sunday, May 4, 2008

Pretty Things Spotlight: * Coco Bijou *

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Update:
The winner of the Coco Bijou "Nocturnal Bloom" Band give-a-way is BUNNYB...Congratulations!

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Nicole Robertson of Coco Bijou appreciates the bea
uty of imperfection.

Celebrated by way of twisting, hammering and patina, imperfect beauty is
reflected in every piece of jewelry that she creates, making each piece unique and one of a kind...just like each of us.




"The concept of perfection always makes me squirm a bit, so I strive to create unique jewelry that allows us to celebrate our deliciously imperfect beauty."


Coco Bijou pays tribute to the strength and beauty in women with simple, organic, stunning pieces full of rich colour and amazing textures. Elegant earrings, beads, necklaces and rings sparkle with light and love.
These beautiful works of art are to be loved and treasured.




Spotlight: Coco Bijou


Tell us about you…
My name is Nicole Rob
ertson and I live in Bozeman, Montana with my super tall fiancé (we are getting married on June 21!) and our darling black lab, Chilkoot. I was born and raised in the gorgeous little artsy town of Homer, Alaska, and got my degree in sociology at the University of Oregon. Upon graduation, I became hooked on travel and volunteer work overseas, where I really established the framework for the kind of person I wanted to become…and finally, two years ago, decided that I was ready to settle into a home and do some nesting. So, here I am, pursuing the world of art from my workbench, and loving every moment of it.

What inspires you?
Women inspire me. I was raised with two amazing older sisters, and a very talented and loving mother. We have always found strength and inspiration in one another - and that has helped to guide me in my life. I am always in awe of the bonds of friendship amongst women. We understand one another - we lift each other up, and laugh about the quirks of our unique experiences. That is fascinating to me. I intensely admire women who respect their bodies and capitalize on their strength and wisdom. Upon this alone, I am able to create works that speak to these qualities in all of us. I was raised to appreciate the beauty of imperfection, and I reflect this in my jewelry.

Apart from creating things, what do you do for fun?
I adore everything associated with summer...camping, hiking
and growing herbs. I love to cook and treat my friends to an evening of appetizers and wine. I'm obsessed with tennis, but haven’t found a partner to play with here in Bozeman. Kurt (fiancé) and I are utterly happy so long as we can get out and play in the snow and sun.

What is your most memorable moment selling your art?
A customer contacted me to ask if I could create her wedding ring. I was SO honored, flattered and nervous all at the same time. I spent an enormous amount of time making sure it was exactly what she wanted and, when all was said and done, she loved it. It warmed my heart to know that I had created something that this woman would hold dear for the rest of her life. Never in a million years would I have thought that I would be capable of something like that.

Any advice for fellow artists…
Keep creating! Experiment, even if it means wasting some of your materials in the case that the piece doesn’t work out, just give it a shot. Some of my favorite pieces
are the result of winging it on a design idea, and the rewards that come from taking those risks are so gratifying!

Tell Us More…
Throughout my life, I never considered myself an artistic person. The thought of a blank canvas and a palette full of rich colors scares me no end. Then suddenly, my life took a turn and I began to sense this void - I wanted to create, but didn’t know where to start. Since that change of direction, I have been embraced by such a warm community of artists on Etsy that I am inspired to fully commit to this new path that my life has shown me. Also, thank you to women the world around. You endlessly inspire me.

Shop: http://CocoBijou.etsy.com


(¯`'•.¸(¯`'•.¸(¯`'•.¸ * ◦ *¸.•'´¯)¸.•'´¯)¸.•'´¯)

Enter this week's give-a-way!


This week's sweet little give-a-way is a
wide sterling silver band by Coco Bijou entitled "Nocturnal Bloom". It's rich patina gives it an organic quality, seeming to resemble forms found in nature. The winner of this week's drawing will receive a custom made "Nocturnal Bloom" band in their size.


How to enter:
Take a look-see into the Coco Bijou shoppe and comment here on your favourite piece.

Most Important Details: If your favourite piece is not part of your comment or some sort of viable contact information is not included, your entry will be disqualified. This contest is open to everyone. Winner has 3 days to contact me with their address. Give-a-way is shipped out via the artist. The winner's name will be drawn from a hat...the good ole' fashioned way to do things. One entry per person. All entries must be received by midnight of Saturday, May 10th, 2008, PST.

Best of luck to you, my Pretties!


25 comments:

Ally Jay said...

The winter drop earrings are stunning. They remind me of icicles hanging down but the sparkle in them brings a degree of warmth to them. They also have a sense of class about them, as somehow being a littyle sophisticated

Anonymous said...

Do I have to choose just ONE? Okay, I've always loved the Land and Sea ring, but am somehow drawn to the Bev ring and the Lolo necklace. :) I have been intrigued by the simple, yet elegant sparkle of Indulgence, as well. Oh, I could go on and on, but mostly I love to see how Nicole is growing and expanding as an artist, trying different media and styles. It's beautiful to see her becoming something she never thought she could be! Just goes to show, we should always follow our hearts, even when we don't know where they'll lead us.

Anonymous said...

I love the hammered sterling bend ring. And your blog is wondeful. Maybe you can give me some pointers on how to make mine better. ;)

CercaTrova Jewels said...

It is certainly difficult to pick just one piece from this talented artist! My favorite piece is the sterling silver ring "Luminous". I just love chrysoprase, it was the first ring my husband bought me and I wore it for years! I love the simplicity of design of this piece, well done Coco!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8529840

windycindy said...

Hi, Another wonderful artist. Her self designed and handmade jewelry pieces are unique and lovely. I choose the "Nyla-Sterling Silver
Cross with Leaf" Necklace. Her view of religion and nature is one I can identify with. Please enter me in your drawing. Thanks,Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

Unknown said...

Oh wow! I love, love, love all of Nicole's hoop earrings. My fave pair were the organic dual hoops! Everything is so delicate and pretty. What a great find!

Bunny B said...

Oooo! I love her cocktail rings! They're all so lovely! My fave would be the Glacier - Limited Edition! Nice!!!

Anonymous said...

Alliance, meaning "union" or "fusion"...the connectedness of family and friends is CoCo's most meaningful and beautiful piece. The grouping of rings can be worn by a woman with special remembrances and love. It is a perfect representation of the love Nicole has for life.

Dinah said...

I think all of the pieces are gorgeous! I quickly took notice of the "There Were Three" ring and immediately felt it represented me, my daughter and my mother. The three of us are joined at the hip just as the silver pieces are joined. I've been thinking so much this past week about Mother's Day and the deep love and respect I have for my mother AND my daughter and that ring just jumped out at me.

Anonymous said...

I love Nicole's work.

I am especially fond of her Kimberly ring - which honors the mothers of type 1 diabetic children. This ring is an amazing tribute to these precious women who work so hard so their children may have a "new normal" childhood!

I think her Snapdragon ring is my favorite today!

Donna

Janice said...

It's almost impossible to pick a favorite from your shop! You do such great work. And I'm a fool for sterling jewelry. My absolute favorite piece is the Smooth Citrine Ring. I'm going to make sure my bf knows which one I like. Mother's Day is coming up!

Janice
www.handcraftedbyJanice.com

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous ring! What a great interview too! I love reading your artist bio's. So inspiring! Ciao bella!

Deirdre said...

I am totally in love with the Love II hammered silver ring with the little heart on the top. It is so sweet and also so artsy. I think all of her jewelry is fresh and progressive with a very nostalgic flair all at once! A very delicate balance which has been wonderfully achieved!

Burgess Abrazos said...

My favorite (if I must choose) of Nicole's pieces is her sterling silver "Nyla" pendant. It really seems as though she has refined her style in a short amount of time evolving from larger, more colorful pieces, to a much more simple, organic style that lets the material speak as much as she speaks through the medium. A lovely conversation indeed!
Congrats, Cole!!! E.G.

Anonymous said...

My favorite is the Natura - Sterling Silver Leaf Ring. How lovely it looks...I am positive it would look stunning on my finger.

Awesome work!

Anonymous said...

I love playa norte..such as classy and gorgeous ring!

Anonymous said...

I love all of the rings, but my favorite is La Luna.

Anonymous said...

The sterling silver dangle earrings are stunning!

Anonymous said...

How special and flattering!!! I'm so proud of you for following your passion and bringing it to life!! Your unique and sophisticated, yet charming personality shows in every piece of jewelry you have created.

Unknown said...

we're limited to one item? wow...hmmm...nocturnal bloom ring is gorgeous and I am sure it would be happy on my finger :)

Anonymous said...

Can i say i love them all..so unique. I LOVE UNIQUE. OK The hammered sterling silver ring is one of my many favs

Raven said...

This contest is now closed...

The winner of the "Nocturnal Bloom" band by Coco Bijou {custom made in her size} is BUNNYB!

Congratulations!

xxx
Raven

Viagra Online said...

Excellent you are a great artist thanks for sharing, how can I get some of your stuff ? do you sell it on ebay or some other site ?
Thanks, I'll be waiting for the answer

63KM

Anonymous said...

Beautiful stuff, I really like coco stuf because smells so good and make me to feel like I'm on the beach ;D

Sildenafil said...

Is really cool what you can make using stuff that you can find anywhere, i have a friend that make necklace and stuff like that using the beach stuff and rocks close to the mountains, thanks nice stuff.