Made Well
Local craftswomen are restyling whimsy
ArtxNikki
You may have seen FSU alumna Nikki Ackerman alongside her dachshund “Indie” offering art prints from her custom camper outside of Picked in CollegeTown. Or maybe you visited her brick-and-mortar before the 2023 tornado that devastated Railroad Square. Regardless, you’ll be seeing more of ArtxNikki soon, as her collaborations move into the mainstream.
Photos courtesy of Nikki Ackerman
Q. What are three words to describe your brand?
A. Nostalgic, celebratory, and vibrant.
Q. What does success look like for you?
A. Keeping my own time. In the early stages of my career, I said yes to everything because that is how you grow into a position where you don’t need to say yes to everything. That is where I am now. I love that I can choose what I want to do.
Photos courtesy of Nikki Ackerman
Q. How have your collaborations been with Good Housekeeping at Target and Anthropologie? How are things different working with larger companies?
A. The cookbook collab has been great; Good Housekeeping has been tagging me in social posts, and I feel valued as the artist behind it. Anthropologie has been a game changer. It has given me a good trajectory and led to a dozen more products coming out in the spring. Friends, family, and even followers send me in-store pictures of the scarves I designed and even purchased them, and I’ve felt loved and cheered on.
Bigger companies are production pros, and it takes the stress off of me because I know the products I help design will be high quality, and the marketing will be great. I just send my artwork and see magic happen. It has been such a fun process seeing how products come to fruition and how far ahead they’re predicting trends.
Q. Where is your favorite place to sell in town?
A. The Sun Day Market in Bannerman Crossing, the first Sunday of every month!
Art By Brianne
Brianne Miller, who operates as Art by Brianne, is a local Tallahassee artist and Florida State University student who creates multilayered art pieces, prints, and phone cases for the trendiest among us.
Photo courtesy of Brianne Miller
Q. What are three words that describe your brand?
A. Bold, colorful, and layered.
Q. What inspires your designs?
A. Pop art and street art mixed with college cool-girl vibes. I love how expressive and abstract the style is. It allows me to focus less on being perfect and more on creating something that I enjoy.
Q. Do you have a favorite piece?
A. I did a custom commission, which included two paintings I call “Dancing Kicks” and “Your Dream Girl,” for a customer who found me through social media and happened to be starting at Florida State that fall. I was able to hand deliver the paintings. It ended up being exactly what she imagined.
Photo courtesy of Brianne Miller
Q. What makes your work unique?
A. The layering process. I use newspapers and images I find online, in print, or in person when I’m traveling. It’s fun because I intentionally choose which sections of the papers I want to show and what I cover up.
Q. Where is your favorite place to sell?
A. Market Wednesday on campus at FSU.
Mabel’s Boutique
Interview was translated from Spanish by the author
Nohora Bruhn studied fashion and began her handmade jewelry business in Bogota, Columbia before relocating to Tallahassee over 25 years ago.
Photos courtesy of Nohra Bruhn
Q. What inspires your designs?
A. I have always loved using natural stones and gems like jade, and the seasons heavily influence my creations. Destin, Panama City, and Tallahassee have shown me what everyone likes: beachy [designs], shells, and statement pieces that match the season.
Q. What have been the advantages of being an independent artist, and what have been some challenges?
A. My father had bakeries all over the city [in Bogota], so I grew up with entrepreneurship. I love to work independently because I can choose when and what I want to work on. I also love that I can spend more time with my family because I create from home, which is definitely an advantage. Organizing my time [is a disadvantage] because I have so much to do—ordering materials, coordinating events, and finances. It all takes time.
Photos courtesy of Nohra Bruhn
Q. Where is your favorite place to sell in town?
A. Market Wednesday on the Florida State University campus. All the people who come by are extremely kind and interested and always come back for more and to talk to me about the jewelry. It is also a place where my target audience is constantly reached.
Feature photo by Grace Ann Rae
