Meet Nancy Kanter | Fine Artist, Jewelry Designer, Writer, & Feminist

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

Hi Nancy, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
I designed a special collection of feminist jewelry in support of a passion project of mine — inspiring and empowering women — and I donate a portion of the profits from that collection to organizations that help improve the lives of women. In addition, I’m working on a non-fiction book about how society defines what it means to be a woman, how it punishes those who don’t follow the rules, and how we can reclaim our power and define ourselves. I also founded Beauty Is Inside, a website and popular feminist Facebook community that now has over 220K followers. I’ve received hundreds of messages from readers in places as far away as Sudan, Serbia, India, and Bosnia and Herzegovina about how my work has empowered and inspired them. They’ve poured their hearts out to me and many of their stories have brought me to tears. To say it’s been humbling is an understatement.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I always wanted to be a professional artist, but I thought it was a pipe dream and that I needed to get a “real job” instead. So I got my bachelor’s degree in psychology and toyed with the idea of becoming a therapist. I got my master’s in interdisciplinary studies – psychology/sociology and researched society’s impact on women’s self-image, and I realized that I wanted to write a book that helped women feel strong and powerful and authentic.

But I’m still an artist, and I’m lucky to have several creative projects that I’m passionate about too. My artistic style ranges from realistic portraits drawn in graphite, impressionist-style paintings in acrylic, and a brand-new series of watercolor botanicals. I am a jewelry designer too, and I design wine-inspired jewelry out of upcycled corks, chandelier crystals, and my own art. I also created a collection of feminist jewelry. I’m excited to announce that I will soon be offering fine art prints alongside my jewelry collections for purchase on my website.

When I’m not creating art or jewelry, you might catch me working on my book, nurturing my feminist social media following, or doing copywriting or web design as a side gig.

Having a variety of projects helps keep life interesting!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to two amazingly strong and kind women: my grandma, Ann Kanter, and my mother-in-law, Paula Burnstein. My grandma taught me to stand up for myself, and she helped me learn that I’m just as valuable as anyone else. She made me feel safe and loved. My mother-in-law supported and encouraged all of my creative efforts. She was an advocate for women’s rights, and she helped me feel appreciated and seen. I want to pay it forward on behalf of both of these fabulous women and help other women find their own courage and strength.

Website: www.sparklingvine.com — and — www.beautyisinside.com

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-kanter-7118111a/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/_BeautyIsInside

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeautyIsInside — and — https://www.facebook.com/sparklingvinedesign

Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sparklingvinedesign/