Nicole Jo Melton has an obsession with jewelry.
When she was just six years old, she was fascinated by a woman she met at a softball game that wore stacks of rings. Although Melton was a shy child, she asked the woman about her sparkling hands and even received multiple pieces of costume jewelry from her, sparking an infatuation with jewelry that would last a lifetime.
Each piece of jewelry is crafted by Melton in her boxcar studio on 75 acres of land she lovingly calls “the hundred acre wood.” Knot and Splice, established in 2012, is the result of following a passion and putting in hard work to achieve a goal. While working as a graphic designer, Melton started making beaded jewelry and quickly delved into the world of metal working. She now offers ready to ship pieces, made to order, or even custom pieces on her website knotandsplice.com.
Creating unconventional designs with fine materials, her designs have organic shapes that compliment unusual and ethically sourced stones. Melton is often inspired by the nature around her and puts her personal experiences into her work. In 2021, after the death of her brother, she started carving ethereal pieces with the magic of the land she is so connected to.
“My jewelry is a storytelling experience, a vision, a journey. It is soul poetry of liberation—like a beautifully bound gilded journal for one to open and pen their own tale. Free of expectations or demands (of what is “normal”), each jewelry piece allows you to be who you really are.”
With a following of 86.8k on Instagram (@knotandsplice), she often posts pictures of new pieces and many videos of her process. With each post, Melton will include information about the stones being used and her inspiration behind every design.
Melton’s presence on social media and her willingness to share her life gives a special element to her work. Jewelry often holds a lot of significance for the wearer and knowing a bit about the hands that crafted it adds even more to pieces that will be handed down for generations.