"Jacquline Necklace"

Kathleen Nowak Tucci

" I feel strongly influenced by Art Deco furniture, architecture and fashion."

Jewelry artist Kathleen Nowak Tucci creates her pieces using recycled rubber from used bicycle inner tubes. Influenced by Art Deco design, the artist juxtaposes C and S curves against geometric shapes such as squares, circles, and triangles.

Creating her work in components, the artist begins by making many pre-cut parts. In her studio, strips of inner tube wait to be connected with other shapes--circles, triangles, or flowers. In whatever combinations strike her fancy, the smaller parts all come together to form intricate and striking pieces. Working with the raw material of recycled rubber allows the artist to make dramatic pieces with very little weight.

Kathleen Nowak Tucci's work has been recognized by the high fashion world and has appeared in Marie Claire, Elle Decor, Interior Design, The Linen Magazine and Coastal Lifestyle Magazine. In addition, her designs appeared on the cover of Vogue Italia. The artist participated in the 2011 Smithsonian Craft Show and was recently awarded a Fellowship Grant in Design from the Alabama State Council on the Arts.