Meet Kelly Nichols | Jewelry Designer & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelly Nichols and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelly, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I’ve never been afraid of risk. If anything, I spent most of my life leaning into it headfirst.

I took big, bold risks-backpacking solo in Europe at age 22, played risky sports, moved to Guatemala for three years not knowing a soul, and drove across Central America while navigating my way using a paper map and instinct. There were also myriad reckless risks that could have ended much more catastrophically, but through which I remained mostly unscathed.

Over time, I have learned there is a difference between reckless risk and intentional risk; those that move me forward versus those having the impact of a tornado in my life.

When I got sober, my relationship with risk changed. I didn’t stop taking risks; I just became more prudent about the type of risk I took. They were no longer about escaping, but about finding my way back to the me I was meant to become.

Leaving teaching to pursue Mend Metalworks full-time wasn’t just a career move, it was an act of faith and purpose. It was a deep, soul-level risk—a choice to trust myself and my intuition, trust my path, and step fully into the fire of transformation.

My studio became sacred ground; it was the place where I faced myself and decided I was willing to do what it would take to heal and change my life. My torch was not only working its alchemy on the metal, but on me. That space became my crucible. It was there, with fire in my hands, that I decided to get into recovery, which taught me how to trust, to move forward, to finally follow the path that had been calling me all along. Essentially, all the years off-course, overindulging in dangerous risk, are what got me here. Risk is what fuels growth and ultimately, what makes transformation possible.

Now, I take risks for the opportunity to grow and to build something that not only fills me with purpose but also inspires others to take their own leaps and to follow their desires into the unknown.

I believe our desires are given to us for a reason. While pursuing them may feel risky, resisting them is far more dangerous; it dulls the fire, drains the spirit, and keeps us from becoming who we’re meant to be.

My hope is to inspire people to feed their spirit-to trust that the risks that call to them are not random, but divine invitations to step into a fuller, more aligned life. Because in the end, the real risk isn’t following your desires, it’s ignoring them.

Mend Metalworks is more than jewelry. In fact, jewelry isn’t even the point. It’s really about connection, transformation, and sharing the joy, freedom, and authenticity that comes from following my passion. That’s what truly inspires me—helping others find meaning, resilience, and beauty, both in the pieces I create and in their own stories.

So yes, risk has played a major role in my life, but it has become really clear to me that the most reckless risk I could’ve taken would be not fanning the flame of the fire within.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It hasn’t been easy, but it has been fluid. I’ve come to believe that I’ve been exactly where I was supposed to be at every step along the way. Every experience, personal and professional, has moved me to this place, shaping me into the artist and person I am today.

I was once married, and while we were both struggling in different ways, that relationship played a key role in my journey. My ex-husband gifted me my first metalsmithing class and built the studio where I would escape to create, unaware that it was also where I would begin to mend myself and forge my path. It was in that very studio, with a torch in my hand, that I decided to get sober. That decision changed everything. It ultimately led to my divorce, a deep period of growth, and the awareness that I had to move through life’s challenges, not around them.

There’s a Latin phrase that resonates deeply with me, which is “Amor Fati,” meaning “love of fate.” I’ve learned to embrace challenges as opportunities to level up rather than roadblocks to avoid. When I reached five years sober, I started to rework the steps of the program, which led to a closer examination of any part of my life that felt unmanageable. It became clear that although I wanted to grow my business, rebrand, and step fully into my creativity, I felt the weight of working a full-time job and commuting ten hours a week, therefore unable to give the business the attention it deserved.

I talked to my sponsor, who posited the question, “What will it take for you to get into action?” That set everything in motion; I couldn’t escape the signs—it seemed as though the Universe was throwing everything at me at once. Every meditation I chose, every book I picked up, every podcast I heard, it all seemed to be about the fire within, our obligation to follow the desires placed in our hearts, how we are given creative gifts to use, not suppress. It was as if I had been cracked wide open and was being propelled forward into unknown territory.

So I listened and I made a decision to leap into action.

A friend of mine told me, “I think it’s great that you’re reinventing yourself,” and I immediately thought, “This isn’t reinvention—it’s a return to who I’m meant to be.” That night, I wrote in my journal: “To return, to recovery, to mend…” and the realization struck. Mend. That was the name. That was the purpose. To mend, to transform, to create something meaningful out of fire and raw material—both in jewelry and in life.

The biggest lesson? Trust. Trust in myself, trust in the process, trust that the fire inside of me was there for a reason.

I’ve learned that the path isn’t always clear, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t walk it. Creativity isn’t just about making things; it’s about risk, resilience, responsibility, and surrender. I’ve learned that I don’t need to have everything figured out before taking the next step. The answers often come after the leap, not before.

I’ve also learned that Mend isn’t just about jewelry; in face, jewelry isn’t even the point. The real goal is about connection, about creating something that resonates with people on a soul level. Jewelry has always marked transformation, milestones, and personal evolution; I feel deeply honored to create pieces that hold meaning beyond their physical form.

Mend isn’t just about adornment, but alchemy. The transformation of raw material mirrors the transformation we go through in life. Just as fire reshapes metal, our struggles and triumphs shape us into who we are meant to be.

I want people to know that Mend was built on trust, passion, and purpose. It exists because I listened to the call, took the leap, and trusted that I was being led. The goal of Mend is to inspire awe and wonder and to be a conscientious steward of both my spiritual and temporal blessings. Through artistry and connection, I hope to create pieces that remind people of their own strength, beauty, and ability to transform.

At the end of the day, it’s really a miracle.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Durango, and as any other small mountain-town dweller, I would love to keep all of the best places a secret…but I’ll take the bait. My favorite places involve riding a mountain bike and hanging on or by the river that flows right through our town. We have myriad world-class mountain biking trails right around town, so that I don’t even have to get in my car to get to them. If it was winter I would suggest going skiing up at Purgatory or taking a day trip out to Wolf Creek, which is my personal favorite. There are endless yummy restaurants to frequent, but my go-to’s are Zia Taqueria and Sage, both are quick and easy and very delicious. I also really love Primi for a nicer sit-down dinner with friends. A good night out might entail some live music at the ACT, always a great experience.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Finding my way to this space has not been a solo venture, and I am infinitely grateful to all of the people who have uplifted and encouraged me along the way.

I have immense gratitude for my sponsor and the tribe of people with whom I have formed deep ties in my program of recovery. Through the process of working the steps, I’ve done the deep, necessary work to rebuild trust in myself, to know that I have the ability to make responsible choices, and to lean into faith—faith in myself, in my path, and in Spirit who guides and sustains me through whatever challenges arise. Without that foundation, I never would have had the courage to take this leap. It has been through the spiritual seeking and work that I found the strength to take a big leap of faith and to trust that regardless of where it leads me, I know my true North and feel like I am truly aligned with that path most of the time.

I’d also like to wave the banner for my “ladysmithing” group here in Durango—women who have been a source of inspiration, encouragement, and friendship. Long before I took my business full-time, they were paving the way—building, creating, and thriving as full-time artists. I also invested in a coaching program and met several other jeweler/entrepreneurs with whom I have formed co-working groups. I continue to be blown away by the magic these people exude and the way they let their creative desires guide them in everything they do. I have formed some deep and meaningful friendships in this space; having that kind of camaraderie and mentorship has been invaluable, and I’m beyond grateful for it.

Success is never a solo endeavor; I feel incredibly lucky to be surrounded by a community who believe in me and challenge me to keep growing.

Website: https://mendmetalworks.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mend_metalworks/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563993492545

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