Meet Nicole Bernard | Founder, manager and chief maker – NB Makes

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole Bernard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk and I are definitely “frenemies.” Despite a lifelong interest in the arts, I was told even from a young age that perusing a career in the arts doesn’t offer the same certainty or financial security as a “traditional” career path (whatever that is). I never regret the choices I’ve made in my life because they’ve set me on the path I am today, but from the time I applied for college until I left my first corporate job, every decision I made was rooted in that fear. Study advertising instead of fine arts. Interviewing for established companies instead of startups. Staying in jobs I’m not passionate exactly about because they pay well.

Despite so much creativity lingering under the surface, there came a point where I felt like the riskiest thing I could do was continue avoiding risk. Not my comfort zone had robbed me of so much joy and stunted my potential. That’s why in 2020, I launched my business – NB Makes – to celebrate my love for creating ceramic jewelry and tableware, begin to make a life I was proud of living and invite others along on that journey. I admit: from a career perspective my leap was more of a hop, as our shop is still a part time endeavor. From a life perspective, my business has shown me how many open doors and opportunities there truly are in the world. From taking on a photography residency, sending products to influencers, or reaching out to my favorite shops to get our wares into stores, I’ve been willing to try so many more things for NB Makes and personally in the last year than I have in my entire life. I’m excited to say: this is just the start!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I’m Nicole Bernard, Founder and Chief Maker at NB Makes. I’m a life-long artist and professional communicator started our handmade ceramic jewelry and tableware company online in September 2020.

Since then, we’ve launched 6 seasonal jewelry collections, 2 tableware collections, exhibited at dozens of DFW in-person markets (including Dallas Startup Week 2020, Boho Market, Flea Style pop-ups, and bi-weekly at Good Local Markets White rock), and even hosted booth space at the International Ceramics Congress in November 2021. Our work appears in curated shops around the DFW area (https://nbmakes.com/events) and was featured in D Magazine (https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2021/july/these-dallas-artisans-help-you-make-the-perfect-table/?ref=feat-sect).

While I’ve always been interested in the arts and have worked in clay for about 6 years, my road to creating NB Makes was a windy one. As I shared in my thoughts about risk-taking, my career before 2020 was much more traditional. In many ways, I was afraid to allow my art to be a bigger part of my life. Since then, I’ve become unapologetically creative in everything I do. Starting NB Makes has helped me step into my truth, use my voice and know how much opportunity truly is in the world if you work for it.

In terms of NB Makes stands for, I wholeheartedly believe that a good life is worth making, and that by surrounding ourselves with handmade goods and knowledgable creators, our lives our better. When I create, I think about how my pieces can make someone’s life better – whether it’s anticipating your smile when you find a sweet pair of earrings in your favorite color or helping you find the perfect gift for someone you love.

Just the same, the creators you meet at local markets are some of the knowledgable and passionate people you’ll ever meet: they put their heart and soul into bringing their gifts to the community around them. One of my favorite parts of any market is meeting my neighbors, or the creators immediately next to me. Throughout the day, it’s amazing to learn more about their story, see what drives them, get connected and see their business evolve over time, too.

Beyond continuing to create our own wares, as I think about where I’m taking NB Makes next, part of our focus this year will be on helping creators connect and grow their business, as well as inspiring and equipping the the next group of budding creators to share their talents.

I also know the fear of what it takes to get started, so I love encouraging people who are thinking about putting their work into the world to just start.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If you were to spend the weekend with me, we’d probably do a few things together:

– Shop local: Whether stopping at a farmers market (I’m biased, but Good Local Markets is one of the best around) or hunting for finds near downtown or in Bishop Arts (be sure to stop in and see our goodies at great shops like Maker’s Connect and Mosaic Maker’s Collective), there are so many places in the DFW for one-of-a-kind finds.

– Spend QT outside: Fitness is a huge way I stay balanced, and since the pandemic started many of my workouts are outside. They may be popular spots but I’m always a fan of a good walk around White Rock Lake (pro-tip: catch the sunset there if you can) or the Katy trail. If you have a few hours – make it out to Cedar Creek Reserve too!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Since I started my ceramics journey several years ago, I’ve had a host of amazing ceramics teachers here in the Dallas area that have taught me the tricks of the trade – James Olney (Oak Cliff Pottery), Adam Knoche, Susan Mollet, to name a few. Without the safe haven of their classrooms and their honest feedback, I wouldn’t know or love clay the way I do today. I also owe the motivation of my business to my good friend Kristen for being the first person to not only encourage me to sell my work, but open up her home to make it happen. Without that space she created for my art, I never would have had the confidence to show my work to people, let alone know that they’d be interested in taking pieces home with them. Her generosity and encouragement has fueled the ethos behind NB Makes. I strive for my business to create those same moments for other creators, too.

(I’ll also give a special shoutout to Michelle Bell of Sweet Belle Makes who recommended us for this interview. Michelle is a great example of the support in the maker community, and I’m grateful for all of the friends I’ve made in growing my business, too!)

Website: nbmakes.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nb.makes/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NBMakesCeramics/

Image Credits
All photos were taken by me (Nicole Bernard) or can be credited to NB Makes.