Q AND ART: Nicole Wiegand of Night Owl Designs
Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
Welcome to Q and Art, where we ask local artists the same set of questions then they give us the name of the next artist to interview. In this interview, we talk to Nicole Wiegand of Night Owl Designs.
1) Tell us a little about your background.
I've always loved art. I even used to cut gym class in high school to hang out in the art room, but I never really considered myself an artist. I went to Rutgers in Camden, NJ and got my bachelor's with a major in psychology and a double minor in sociology and women's studies. After college, I was (and still am) living here in Philly and managing Condom Kingdom on South Street. I used to make jewelry and housewares for my friends as gifts, but it wasn't until 2008 when a friend asked me to vend a craft fair with her (thanks J-Net!) that I began to consider selling my pieces. At the time my insomnia was at an all time high, so I called my company "Night Owl Designs" since that's when I did the majority of my work. It's steadily grown over the years and now my girlfriend (Nicole from Rainbow Alternative) and I vend everything from horror conventions, to pride festivals, to craft fairs.
2) What are you currently working on?
All of my pieces are inspired by pop culture or cult oddities, so I'm always trying to make new designs. I have really enjoyed making "couples" earrings lately. Some of my recent favorites include: Herman and Lily Munster, Johnny and Baby from Dirty Dancing, Jesse and Walter from Breaking Bad, Wayne and Garth from Wayne's World, and JD and Veronica from Heathers. There is never any merch for all of the little kitschy movie and TV gems that I love, so it's really fun for me to make them myself. I LOVE striking up conversations with people at events who love those obscure titles too. It makes my day.
3) What's your favorite thing to eat locally?
Oh man,there are so many amazing food options in this city! Four Rivers on 10th and Race in Chinatown is by far the best chinese food in the city- it will blow your mind. Beau Monde on 6th and Bainbridge is the cutest crepery with great food and an even better cup of coffee. Hot Diggity on South Street- delicious vegetarian (and non-veg) hot dogs. Panini's on Chestnut in Old City is a great spot with REAL Italian food, and mind blowing cannolis. Tattooed Moms' tots make me feel like a human when I've just worked a long shift at CK. I feel like I could go on forever with the food question.
4) What's your favorite thing to do in this area?
I love to walk around. This city is full of book stores, record stores, museums, comic book stores, galleries, cafes, and consignment shops (check out Crash Bang Boom and Nice Things Handmade). I love stumbling upon places I didn't even know existed.
5) Give us your insider tip to the city.
Walk — don't drive — and go down all of the tiny streets that are so easy to walk right past. Every little nook and cranny of this city has something amazing to see, even if it's a mural or street art piece. Take it all in.
6) And finally, pick the next local local artist for us to interview.
Josh Stewart is such an amazing photographer. He's got such a beautiful, clean style. He's gonna do big things!
Where to find Night Owl Designs
Web: www.shopnightowldesigns.com
Instagram: @NightOwlDesigns
