Handcrafter Lost All to Theft

Nina Podpolucha is a woman who truly embodies the American Dream.  She is a small business owner, a gifted artisan, and a genuinely nice person--and she just lost everything to theft.

Let me tell you a short story.

I met Nina nearly 14 years ago when I was a graduate student at the University of Oregon in Eugene; she had a table and umbrella set up as part of a small street fair on the campus.  I wandered through because it was on my way home, and saw what one expects on a college campus: mass produced batik, cheap silver rings,  T-shirts, reproduction posters....that sort of thing.  There was nothing special, and very little of even middling quality.  And then I saw Nina's jewelry.



It was beautiful: intricate lattice-work beaded necklaces and earrings, with the beads themselves woven together to form the settings for all the larger stones.  These were a world apart from typical beaded jewelry--they were unique works of art, and the craftsmanship involved was immediately apparent.

We struck up a conversation, and I remember that Nina was offering a special discount for students and had brought her least expensive pieces; she knew college students couldn't afford her normal prices.  I didn't have enough money at the time, but Nina said she'd be at the Eugene Saturday Market and would still honor the student prices for me.

Over the next two years I purchased four pieces from Nina, and talked with her many times.  At some point I learned that she drove back and forth between Eugene and Portland; Portland offered far better sales, but she had been working at the Eugene market for many years and held the second-best stall.  All her designs were her own, and while the living was always precarious she made her way by virtue of skill in what she did.

When my wife and I got married, there was no hesitation: we called Nina to make the jewelry.


And now...that story comes to an abrupt halt because of a single act of theft.

On the morning of Saturday April 11th, Nina's car was broken into while she set up for the big Portland market.  Not only did she lose all of her completed merchandise, AND all the custom orders she was working on, AND her week's income: 
she also lost everything necessary to make replacements.

All of Nina's beads, stones, and supplies were in her car, and everything was taken.  This represents around $8,000 in work and materials, a complete loss for Nina; and because she was just at a major gem show, she doesn't have reserve funds to resupply.  She can't complete her existing custom orders without doing so, and can't replace her regular stock, either.

Nina's business is a very small operation, and her living has always been precarious.   Like other handcrafters she lives from sale to sale, and can't afford the expense of carrying full business insurance; normal car and renter's insurance won't cover the loss of business supplies.

Please, let's get Nina back on her feet.

I have absolutely no personal financial interest in this matter.  I simply feel that Nina is a genuinely nice person who adds beauty to the world--two qualities that are in short supply.  She deserves a helping hand.

From Nina's facebook page , here are some of the pieces that were stolen:











Please help!