Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emily Nicolaides. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Emily, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been one of the most interesting investments you’ve made – and did you win or lose? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)

The best investment I’ve ever made in myself has undoubtedly been in education. Simultaneously, it’s also been the worst investment at times. Allow me to elaborate.

I’m an eternal student. I love taking classes, reading, researching on the internet, basically anything that involves learning. It’s a part of who I am.

Embracing the mindset of studying and being open to new ways of thinking has been a personal strength, both in my creative work and personal life. However, this very quality has also led me down the wrong path at times. Not all teachers and educational resources are created equal.

When I embarked on my journey of weaving full-time, I quickly realized that I lacked knowledge about the business side of things. So I did the logical thing and started looking online for resources. I quickly fell into the alluring trap of online courses. The online education space offers a vast array of options, and while there are undoubtedly many excellent courses out there, distinguishing the valuable ones from the mediocre or downright fraudulent can be challenging.

One would think that reading reviews would be enough. Unfortunately, I’ve learned that many of the most successful online business teachers are quick to send cease-and-desist letters to anyone who posts a negative review of their course. This creates a situation where one can only find glowing reviews which may be misleading to future students.

I found myself in a situation where I invested a substantial amount of money in multiple educational programs that ultimately fell short of their promises. It was a humbling experience, and the cost was embarrassing, but it served as a valuable lesson.

In retrospect, my journey through the world of education has been a mixed bag of incredible insights and regrettable missteps. It has reinforced the importance of discernment and due diligence when investing in oneself through education and has also made me a better educator. While the best investments can lead to remarkable growth and success, the worst ones, while costly, provide invaluable lessons that ultimately shape us into more discerning learners.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Emily Nicolaides. I’m a Cypriot-American artist, weaver, and author currently residing in Limassol, Cyprus. My artistic journey began back in 2011 when I sold my first piece of art. However, it wasn’t until 2013 that I entered the world of weaving, creating my first piece of cloth while taking a workshop at Penland School of Craft. I immediately fell in love with the process of crossing warp and weft. From that moment on, I’ve been on a path of artistic growth and exploration, always open to new experiences and challenges.

After a few years of weaving cloth for table runners, towels, scarves, and placemats, I began to look for other ways of weaving. Inspired by fiber artists like Magdalena Abakanowicz, Silvia Heyden, Anni Albers, Włodzimierz Cygan, and Sheila Hicks, I began to experiment with nontraditional weaving practices. This eventually led to weaving circles, a previously understudied form of weaving. Fixated on this round style, I attended residencies, participated in mentorship, and experimented incessantly to learn as much as I could about the potential of this Craft. Seven years later, I can confidently say that this obsession has been a worthwhile endeavor.

Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of engaging in a wide array of exciting projects. These have ranged from crafting artwork for television shows to sharing my expertise with over a thousand students, teaching them the art of weaving in a circle. In addition, I’ve authored the first and only book that delves into the captivating world of circular weaving. My art has also been showcased in exhibitions across multiple countries, and I’ve had the honor of speaking to aspiring artists and students.

In the past year, my focus has shifted towards collaborating with both private individuals and corporate clients to bring custom woven wall hangings to life. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of infusing color and personality into spaces where people live, work, and find joy.

My creative process is rooted in a passion for the ancestry of weaving and a commitment to creating unique, colorful, and graphic circular woven wall hangings. My goal is to honor the lineage of weavers who came before me while keeping this ancient craft alive.

For those interested in learning how to weave their own circular pieces, I invite you to check out my book, ‘Amazing Circular Weaving’, published by Abrams Books(US) and Search Press(UK). It’s a comprehensive guide to this fascinating craft, filled with functional and decorative projects for beginners. For those interested in commissioning custom artwork, please contact me at [email protected].

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In 2019, a significant moment unfolded in my artistic journey when a prominent women’s clothing and home goods retailer reached out to me with an exciting proposition: the opportunity to design and sell circular wall art for their brand. Without hesitation, I accepted. At that point, I had only been fully immersed in my weaving business for a few months, making this the most notable client to date. It was an exciting time.

Over the subsequent months, we went back and forth, ironing out plans, discussing details, and crafting the designs. By early 2020, after several attempts, I had created samples of the weavings and dispatched them to the company’s headquarters for review. Little did I know what was about to unfold. The world began to grapple with an unforeseen event that we’re all too familiar with.

When I reflect on that fateful week in March 2020, I remember hurriedly setting up a makeshift home office and the flurry of emails, primarily filled with disappointing cancellations. Events, workshops, commissions – all put on hold indefinitely, including the eagerly anticipated collaboration with the women’s clothing and home goods retailer.

Ultimately, the company informed me that they were prioritizing “in-house designs” given the circumstances. It was a heart-wrenching setback for a budding entrepreneur navigating a difficult moment in history. What made it even more challenging was that we hadn’t reached the contract stage, which meant I had invested countless hours in a project I would never be compensated for. To make matters worse, due to the closure of their offices, it took an entire year before I could retrieve my samples for resale.

I could have easily surrendered to the weight of this setback, but instead, I channeled my energy into reshaping my business strategy. I explored alternative avenues to sustain myself during that challenging period, particularly by delving into online teaching. In hindsight, this experience served as a valuable lesson, underscoring the importance of securing a deposit before embarking on any project. It was a pivotal moment that shaped my resilience and adaptability as an artist.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

At the end of the day, my livelihood depends on my ability to produce creative work. However, this labor is often challenging for others to quantify, making it difficult to assign a tangible value. The creative process doesn’t follow a conventional nine-to-five structure. It occurs when I’m sprawled on the floor of my studio, gazing at the ceiling while envisioning shapes and colors. It unfolds during my evening walks through the neighborhood or even when I’m at the grocery store, choosing which pineapple to buy. It’s also present when I rework a piece for the tenth time, extracting fresh insights with each attempt.

All of these moments are integral to my work, essential for crafting woven art for your walls. Explaining the necessity of these seemingly mundane moments in the creative process can be a formidable task. After all, these experiences are part of everyday life for everyone.

Here’s what I want people who may not consider themselves creative to understand: creativity exists in all of us, albeit in different forms. The creativity I practice as an artist isn’t fundamentally different from the creativity a project manager uses to solve a problem. It’s an inherent quality within us all, whether we consciously recognize it or not. If more individuals acknowledged these creative instincts in their daily routines, there might be greater appreciation for those who transform these moments of inspiration into their livelihood.

Contact Info:

• Website: emilynicolaides.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/emilynicolaides
• Other: Amazing Circular Weaving – https://amzn.to/424wUTp