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Area Voices: Sea Love by Shelly, Jeweler Shelly Nelson

One of the biggest things for artists is putting yourself out there.  Is it going to sell? Are people going to like it? Is it too weird? ... The beautiful thing is, when it is "too weird,"...it makes it interesting. - Shelly Nelson, Brainerd Jewelry Artist

Shelly Nelson found a dead butterfly in her yard while living in Hawaii.  The find inspired her to create a piece of jewelry.  Today she receives shipments of dead butterflies from conservatories around the globe and breathes new life into them in the form of one of a kind, bohemian flavored earrings and necklaces.  In addition to butterfly wings, her baubles also feature crystals and stones, all offset by sterling silver and gold.   You can find Shelly and her work at art fairs around northern Minnesota in the summertime and at her Etsy shopand onher Instagram page all year! 

I was always a super-curious and hands-on child.  I loved spending time outdoors. I used to make a lot of mudpies and look for a lot of worms, appreciating beautfiul rocks and flowers...at a pretty young age, I learned how to make flower crowns out of daisies and dandelions.  I remember spending a lot of time braiding those into crowns and jewelry and just being so happy wearing these flowers about...I think that's really where it kind of all started - just a great appreciation of nature and wearing beautiful things.  - Shelly Nelson

Katie Carter started at Northern Community Radio in 2008 as Managing Editor of the station's grant-funded, online news experiment Northern Community Internet. She returned for a second stint in 2016-23. She produced Area Voices showcasing the arts, culture, and history stories of northern Minnesota.