Quality Handmade Jewelry

About

Hello, My name is Nick and I am an artist from Howard County, Maryland. I began ProudDesigns so that I could pursue my passion for art, a profession which enriches both my own life and the lives of others. At a very young age, I discovered drawing, and I found that I had a talent for creating artwork. I progressed quickly in my skill development, and at age 11, I received a full scholarship to attend Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Despite the opportunities I received for formal art training, I always found that my most creative and innovative work came from my own concepts. While I was growing up, I faced a great deal of life challenges and I almost stopped creating altogether. When I rediscovered art, I rediscovered my passion and purpose in life, and my creativity once again began to flourish and grow. In 2005, I found a wire-wrapped ring in a friend’s home. I was instantly drawn to the style and I studied the ring until I was able to reverse engineer it. I did not know it then, but that ring changed my life. I began to teach myself how to wire-wrap and my skills developed quickly. I enjoyed creating and developing my own designs, and I found great personal rewards in process of teaching myself to wire-wrap. Since I created this first wire- wrapped ring, I have since added forging, soldering, casting, silver clay and bezel setting to my repertoire. I will continue to explore and expand my talents as a jeweler. Every piece of jewelry that I create is made with precision, care, and attention to detail. I will not sell a piece unless it meets my strict quality standards! For that reason, I am the sole artist of ProudDesigns. Most of my jewelry is created by hand and no two are alike, so your piece is truly a unique work of art.

A quote that inspired me to do what I do now. “Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just keeps getting better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle” -Steve Jobs

-Nick Proudfoot