Nicholas is a very experienced shamanic craftworker, having been making drums, rattles, feather fans and other items for about 25 years. He is well known for his colourful peyote (gourd) stitch beadwork, and his objects are used by people in their shamanic or medicine practice all over the UK, and in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. His work has been commissioned by several members of the Native American Church for use in peyote ceremonies.
Over the years he has been fortunate to be able to closely examine original craftwork held in public and private collections, and has learnt many of the traditional methods of construction. His work is inspired by the beautiful 19th and early 20th century craftwork of the Plains peoples of North America, and more recently the sacred objects used in the shamanic traditions of Asia, from Nepal and Tibet up into the lands of the peoples of Siberia.
He works much as in the tradition of the Siberian Shaman-blacksmith, being a maker of sacred objects rather than just a craftworker who's objects maybe used for shamanism. He will often work closely with people to create the object they require, performing ceremonies towards the completion of the object as needed.
There is often a waiting time for his objects, and this can vary from a short time of a week or so, to several months. The waiting depends on the amount of craftwork he currently has to do for people, the stage which Sacred Hoop Magazine is at (in the last few weeks before print there is little time for anything other than magazine work), and the availability of materials. He will however always work as quickly as he can, and generally the wait is not a very long one.
If you need an object by a specific time please give him as much warning as possible, but if you do suddenly find you need something do contact him to see if it is possible, as he will help you if he can.
SPECIAL ITEMS
Over the years Nicholas has made many other items such as shields, eagle bone whistles and children's umbilical cord amulets. If you would like to talk to him about commissioning a special object of some kind please email him.
If you are interested in working with Nicholas, please email him to discuss it.