Nanci Modica work is showcased September 26 – September 30. What’s more, Nanci plans a live demonstration on Friday, 9/27, 4:30 p.m. at the gallery.
Life on the rocks.
Life on the road.
The two come together in the fast-paced world of Nanci Modica, a fine art jeweler and competitive cyclist.
Nanci Anne Modica was born and raised in the town of Manhasset on Long Island. Her father Frank, a native New Yorker, was a jazz musician who played trumpet with big bands in the 1950s. He then moved on to become an agent for 20th-century musical greats such as Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Sarah Vaughan, and Dave Brubeck, whom he represented for over 40 years.
Like father. Like daughter.
Two rock stars, so to speak.
Nanci began to study jewelry-making while still in high school, attending night and weekend classes at Parsons School of Design and Kulicke-Stark Academy in New York City. At the latter, she studied under Robert Kulicke and Bessie Jamieson, owner of the Jewelry Arts Institute.
As a teen, Nanci moved to Manhattan where she worked for the painter Keith Haring while continuing to learn the art of making jewelry. After Haring’s death in 1990 Nanci began an apprenticeship in classical jewelry construction with Bessie Jamieson, who would become a lifelong mentor.
In 1992, Nanci’s work with Jamieson included assisting with demonstrations of ancient jewelry construction techniques during the “Greek Gold” exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She also worked as a teaching assistant, demonstrating jewelry making in the Bard College graduate program and at the World Gold Council.
After completing her apprenticeship in 1994, Nanci continued as a full-time instructor at Jewelry Arts until 2003. She then launched Lunula Studios, located in the Soho District of Manhattan and specializing in high-karat classical and contemporary gold bling.
At Lunula, Nanci collaborated with top goldsmiths to create pieces for galleries and private clients, while continuing to teach and make jewelry on her own. Between 2010 and 2014, Nanci partnered with jewelers Bikakis and Johns, with whom she shared a 20-year relationship.
In 2014, Nanci moved her studio from downtown Manhattan to the Vinegar Hill section of Brooklyn, also known as DUMBO, now the home of Atelier Modica.
And, after three+ decades, Nanci continues to work closely with Jamieson.
In addition to her metal arts work, Nanci is also an avid cyclist and founder of the all-female competitive cycling team Radical Media Racing. She lives in Hell’s Kitchen with her husband Jesus Perera and their son Frankie.
Check out TIO’s interview with Nanci.
TIO: Nanci, do you see any connection at all between your father’s career in jazz and yours in fine art jewelry? To be more specific, does improvisation come into play in your work?
Nanci: I see a connection between my father’s fine-tuned ear and sophisticated taste in jazz music and my eye for the interplay of detail, composition and style in fine jewelry. As with the best jazz musicians, I know that if I have really mastered my craft then I will be free to improvise in the making process.
TIO: You began to study jewelry-making in high school. What triggered that interest?
Nanci: My older sister moved to Italy when I was 12 and I had an opportunity to visit. On that trip we went to many archaeological sites where I was able to see ancient jewelry up close and in person. That experience was a real eye opener and an amazing introduction to the world of ancient and classical jewelry.
When I went to Schreiber High School, my art teacher was Harold Garde who had opened a metals department. Harold had a background in metal-smithing and did a lot of experimenting with his students. He eventually connected me with the Kulicke-Stark Academy in New York City, which is now called Jewelry Arts Inc.
TIO: One of your mentors and a person with whom you have maintained an ongoing working relationship for over three decades is Bessie Jamieson. What about Bessie’s approach to metal art inspired you in the past and continues to support your creativity?
Nanci: I met Bessie at the Kulicke-Stark Academy, which she eventually inherited from Robert Kulicke. Bessie recognized my interest in the history of ancient jewelry-making and ended up becoming one of my mentors. She’s passionate about preserving ancient techniques while at the same time incorporating contemporary style into her work, a combination that has influenced my approach to making jewelry throughout my career.
TIO: How would you sum up the mission of your Brooklyn-based studio, Atelier Modica?
Nanci: I want to remind people that definition of the word “atelier” is a shop where artists works. My mission is to produce the highest quality handmade jewelry, while maintaining a welcoming space where students and other metal-smiths can come to learn and collaborate.
TIO: Nanci you are an avid cyclist and a founder of the all-female competitive cycling team Radical Media. Are there any dots to connect between your twin passions: making fine art jewelry and cycling?
Nanci: Cycling and fine jewelry-making both require intense discipline and focus and are activities that have stood the test of time. Throughout my life I have continued to work at both, constantly learning and improving my skills in the pursuit of mastery.
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