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

Hi Nicki , thanks for joining us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

With respect to a creative career, surprisingly no, as I do feel that I’ve been a creative person my entire life, and I’ve always prioritized making art. Creativity has been a daily practice for me for decades, and I have both undergraduate and graduate degrees in art. I’ve come to the view that many of the skills I acquired in my professional career, prior to launching my small arts business, Textilepop, are in fact assets that have absolutely helped me navigate my role as a sole proprietor. For example, I worked for many years as a Director of Operations in a fast-paced academic environment with tight budgets and complex scheduling in an ever-changing dynamic department that was also focused on accountability. I also worked as an Assistant Chief of Staff, another highly complex work environment that required constant multi-tasking and exceptional administrative prowess. These are all job skills that I draw heavily upon now. With Textilepop, I am able to merge my creative passions with my solid management skills. I feel I am well positioned for success. I prefer not to see things in terms of regret, but with a more positive view. That feels like a good position, overall!

Nicki , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I started Textilepop in 2021 as an artist’s studio and small batch manufacturing enterprise with a focus on locally made, nature inspired, contemporary art textiles and quilts. I am passionate about the outdoors and equally concerned about climate change. I wanted to use fabric to communicate fresh ideas about our stewardship of the environment. I initially launched Textilepop as an e-commerce site, but when an opportunity presented itself, I was able to expand into a small brick-and-mortar in Santa Clarita’s arts and entertainment district, Old Town Newhall, in 2023. I had already become aware of how many people were really curious to learn more about sewing, mending, and generally just making things, and my original business model quickly evolved to more fully include teaching. The absence of hands-on practical art instruction in schools has left a noticeable void for people who gravitate towards the manual arts and working with their hands. There’s also been a growing awareness of fast fashion tied to issues of conservation and waste overall. I’d say that I now spend an equal time working on my own designs and teaching. In 2025 I will be expanding my class offerings, and I hope to position Textilepop to be able to add an additional instructor or two in the near future, as interest is building. I’ve been gratified to be awarded several grants for Textilepop to support entrepreneurship, while simultaneously, growing interest in my creative textile work has led to commissions, sales, and invitations to show my work in galleries in LA and beyond.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I found that working with my local SBDC office has been an incredible asset, and whenever I have an opportunity I like to let others know about what they do. The Small Business Development Center is a counseling and training organization that helps small businesses get off the ground. It’s run by the Small Business Administration, and there are local SBDC offices in almost every community. The information is provided by business professionals who are experts in their field. I’ve had help with marketing, business filings, accounting, hiring, and more. It’s an amazing resource.

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

I like tangible objects, preferably handmade and original that one can touch, hold, and see in real time. It’s hard for me to comprehend the attraction to NFTs, and I’m perplexed about their popularity and most especially their price-point. Still, I recognize that everyone has their own opinion, and each of us is drawn to different forms of expression. That’s absolutely a good thing, and I support that. My own interests just lean towards the maker-aesthetic, with some evidence of human creative interaction.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://textilepop.com
• Instagram: textilepop_studio
• Yelp: Textilepop

Image Credits

Jennifer Tanskley Coss
David Rosenboom
Nicki Voss