Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Rickert.
Hi Jennifer, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I began drawing and hand sewing clothes as early as age five. My father taught me to use a sewing machine, and my mother encouraged me to embroider, knit and crochet. I also drew prolifically as a teenager. In high school I won many awards for my surrealism, portraits and photography. I had my first sale of surrealistic drawing to a museum when I was around 17. Every show I entered my work I placed for an award. I was drawing on a college level in my early teens. Drawing and sewing continued into my early 20’s. I found myself studying realism, especially portraits and working in surrealism and expressive emotional works.
I eventually moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I worked as an Optician to make ends meet but never strayed from my artistic roots always drawing, painting, creating, and selling my work.
I joined the Embroiderer’s Guild of America to further my knowledge of fiber art. I learned the art of tatted lacemaking during one of our meetings around 2000. It took me several years to become comfortably skilled in making tatted lacework. I began designing my own lace patterns around 2006. I started with a simple trim that I turned into a bracelet. That’s when I saw a newscast about Etsy when Etsy was new. I joined the artists and artisans there and sold the bracelet quickly under the shop name Snappy Tatter. I soon found myself living the dream of owning an art store and running it from the ground up. Next, I designed butterflies that were 3-dimensional, tiny lace caterpillars (tatterpillers}, flowers, leaves that were complicated. I was constantly asked to share my patterns but I couldnt isnce I use “non-conventional” techniques to create them. Soon people were wearing pendants, chokers and collars, cuffs and buying small works of fiber art from Snappy Tatter. My artwork has been sold internationally to all continents except for Antarctica.
I was wearing a dragonfly pendant I had made when I met the manager of a local gallery. He asked me to join the consignment shop of the gallery to display my work and sell. From 2009 until 2011 when the owners changed the purpose of the gallery to a wedding venue, I worked as Operations manager and a seller for the gallery.
Almost everywhere we have lived I have been in a gallery consignment or an artist/artisans shop
I also brought my fiber art to shows and indoor markets where I won more awards. And I placed third in a 3-dimensional category at the Idaho State fair.
I expanded to designing words because Country Living wanted me to Make a featured lace piece saying “Old Lace” for the October issue of their magazine in 2012. My work has been used to teach other’s how to create various designs. I have over 100 original patterns to my name.
I picked up embroidery again and began to embroider paintings and selling them. My favorite is called dreamer and is an image of a serene face with her hair set on fire with lace butterflies and crystals throughout. I also stitched a realistic blue rose.
I should state that I live with a crippling disorder that disables me. That, as well as a couple of other pain issues, have kept me from working consistently most of my life.
Fast forward to Talons Nail Art. I put down my tatting shuttles in 2024 and stopped designing lace. We have moved to a motorhome for most of the year and there is no room for all my supplies! I wanted to shift gears and nails are something I have kept up my whole life. So, I opened my own online shop and began to build a new press on nail business from the ground up. I sell Press on Nails that are handmade and artistically designed by me. Between setting up my website and constantly tweaking it AND creating new nail designs, I am very busy. it is a refreshing change and so far, I have been mainly taking custom orders. I hope to keep honing my skills and settle in the niche I want but it is a work in progress. I am focusing on building a unique brand and helping people with their nail health. I like wearable art.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I live with a crippling neurological syndrome called Cluster headaches where I get unbelieved level 10 headaches in one eye several times a day and usually lasting an hour. I also have severe fibromyalgia since 2001 and it makes it hard to sit, stand, walk or even rest for any lengthy period. Add to that the headaches and I have been incredibly sick for period of time.
In 2023 I had a serious car accident which has created more chronic back pain among other issues.
Moving to the motorhome fueled my ideas to switch to a new medium for my art. That was after the accident and later the next spring my husband was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. We had to put the motorhome on hold so I could care for him during his treatment.
I don’t know if you want to mention it but I recovered from alcoholism in 2012. Being an active alcoholic is very disruptive and creates holes in my life where my work was either very dark or non-existent. I sought help in September of 2012 and have been continuously sober since. My ability to work became more consistent.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am most proud of my portrait work and art on some of my complicated art on nails and my fiber art Paintings.
I specialized in lace for 18 years.
I think what sets me apart the most is that I am self-taught. The press on nail industry is highly competitive because the market is saturated right now and nails are a luxury item. I don’t think of myself as a nail artist. I don’t have the education many people do. I consider myself more of an “artist that uses nails as her canvases”. I picked up basic skills from watching others and just like my fiber art, I find clever ways to execute my designs. I have over 30+ years as an artist behind me. I want to take what is in my brain and put it on nails. And that is what sets me apart. No one else has my imagination, emotional and experiential background. When someone asks for custom work, I don’t scour the internet looking for someone else’s work to inspire me. I have that inspiration. And a lot of the excitement is pulling it all together…their idea, my skill and imagination, my vast array of supplies, and seeing it come out with a unique look.
All people have to do is google my name and former name (Kohr) and all kinds of info about me being an artist comes up and I love that.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The only thing that is consistent is change. Everything for me has changed over the years. my work as an artist has changed. My location has changed several times. My illnesses and ability to cope has changed. I even changed husbands 11 years ago. Ha
Pricing:
- Nails are priced from $15 for plain to $50 or more for luxury sets.
- the Dreamer painting is still available for purchase. at $1,750
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.talonsnailart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jj_nailaddict
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talonsnailart1
