Kristin Nicholas About the Artist

Click here to view Kristin’s blog and find out
what’s new on the farm and in her stitching world.

Kristin Nicholas is a decorative artist, knitwear designer, and author who resides in the hills of western Massachusetts. Her mediums of self-expression are all those creative endeavors related to the decorative arts - stitchery, knitting, home furnishings, painting, interior design, ceramics, and gardening. She is the author of Colorful Stitchery (October 2005), Kids Embroidery, Knitting Today's Classics, and Knitting the New Classics. She is the illustrator and co-author of Knitting for Baby with Melanie Falick, and illustrator of Kids Knitting, also by Melanie Falick. See the Books page for more information. From 1984 until 2000, Kristin was the Creative Director of Classic Elite Yarns.
A natural born colorist, Kristin finds inspiration for her artistic endeavors in many places. As an avid gardener, plants and flowers continue to amaze her - the shapes of the leaves and colors of flowers and greenery appear in her paintings and knitwear. Her library is full of books on artists including favorites Van Gogh, Matisse, the Bloomsbury Group of the early 20th century (Duncan Grant, Vanessa Bell, and Roger Fry), the Mughal Court painters of India, and more. Kristin's love of color draws her to the work of these fellow artists. Ethnic textiles also inspire her, especially in her knitwear design. Favorite sources of inspiration are Indian saris and embroideries, Turkish and Persian carpets, Peruvian knitwear, and embroideries from the Bukhara region of China.	Kristin and Phoebe the border collie
Home, Farm and Family Kristin and her husband Mark and daughter Julia live in the bucolic hills of western Massachusetts. Their farmhouse, built in 1751, is nestled amidst an abandoned apple orchard. For over 20 years, they have raised a flock of 150 Romney and crossbred sheep. Now the sheep wander the orchard reclaiming lost pasture and increasing the soil fertility. The border collies Phoebe and Ness are never far from their duties. The family also raises pigs and exotic (and not so exotic) chickens.
An exotic hen and a brood of chicks The flock of Romney and cross-bred sheep
Five cats (Vera, Sebastian, Charlie, Lily Pons, and Boo-Boo-Boo) round out the menagerie. A large vegetable and flower garden are kept during the summer.
The farmhouse in late summer with a profusion of flowers The farmhouse after a winter storm
The Interior of the Home For three years, Kristin restored and decorated the antique cape built in 1751. She has employed many different decorative painting techniques including dragging, sponging, colorwashing, and stamping to create an artist's home full of color and texture.
Living room with color-washed walls and hand-printed borders		The low ceilinged, cozy rooms are filled with shades of pumpkin, moss, spring green, sunflower, and sun-ripened apricot - most of them obtained by layering many colors on top of each other to obtain a subtle, fresco-like effect. The pumpkin color-washed dining room walls are enlivened with Kristin's colorful handpainted mural of vines, flowers, and birds above the chair rail. Below the rail, a plaid design was made using resist techniques with masking tape.
Left: The dining room with hand-painted walls and wild collection of ceramics and ethnic fabrics Right: Phoebe relaxing in the dining room doorway
The stairway from the living room is decorated with hand-painted and printed "wallpaper."
The kitchen with Kristin's collection of pottery The cozy nook in the kitchen with books, handknit and Mola pillows, and handmade pottery
A view of Kristin's studio Another look at the studio
Kristin's collection of antique and ethnic textiles and ceramics all pull together the colorful atmosphere likened to a Middle Eastern bazaar by some. Her oil paintings, handmade ceramics, and knitted cushions add to the visual stimulation of the busy home.
Pottery Kristin's pottery is made of white earthenware clay. Each handformed piece is decorated with a variety of glazes and stains. Kristin's dinnerware is made from pre-formed earthenware pieces, decorated in her free-flowing style with floral and geometric motifs. Each piece is fired once, then a top glaze is applied to make it food-safe. This second glazing and also gives each item its characteristic glossy finish. Since the birth of her daughter, Kristin has had less time to focus on her pottery, but anticipates returning to this medium as Julia grows. The works shown are representative of Kristin's distinctive style. Trio of jugs Pair of vases
Inspiration Kristin began creating when she was a small girl. Encouraged by her mother and grandmother, she mastered many different kinds of needlework at a young age. She learned to knit when she was nine and then re-learned during her college years. Her personal belief in the power of creativity extend to kindred souls everywhere. Kristin believes that if a child or an adult learns self-expression in an art of any kind (whether it be painting, needlework, knitting, pottery, cooking, gardening, or farming), they will live a continually satisfied, busy and happy life. A favorite Italian proverb continues to inspire her: "All things are difficult before they are easy." Kristin continues to explore new artistic mediums finding each a stimulating challenge to explore and master.
Commissions and Commerce This website was designed to be inspirational as well as informational. Many of the pages show objects that are not for sale at the present time, but demonstrate the artist's decorative style. Kristin is available for the commercial design of greeting cards, paper products, book illustration, ceramics, knitwear, and more. Contact her directly for more information at kn@kristinnicholas.com. Occasionally, items for sale can be found on eBay by clicking Here. In addition, Kristin does semi-annual shows at select locations. These shows will be posted here in advance of each sale. Her paintings are available for exhibit.
Career Highlights • Author, illustrator, and designer: Kristin Knits (Storey Publishing, LLC, 2007) • Author, illustrator, and designer: Colorful Stitchery (Storey Publishing, LLC, 2005) • Featured in cover article, Country Home magazine (August 2004), and in "Collect It" article (September 2005) • Appeared on Martha Stewart Living (televised February 26, 2004) • Author, illustrator, and designer: Kids Embroidery (Stewart, Tabori, and Chang, 2004) • Co-author and illustrator: Knitting for Baby (Stewart, Tabori, and Chang, 2002) • Illustrator and designer: Kids Knitting: Projects for Kids of All Ages (Artisan, 1998); author Melanie Falick • Author and editor: Knitting Today's Classics (Lark, 1997) and Knitting the New Classics (Sterling, 1995) • Named a Master Knitter of the 90's by Vogue Knitting magazine • Designer of numerous knitwear features for Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, Family Circle and many major women's magazines • Creative Director and Lead Designer for Classic Elite Yarns (1984 to 2000) • Master's Degree from Colorado State University in 1982 • B.S. in Textiles and Clothing from the University of Delaware in 1980