Community Spotlight: Nicole Pivirotto
This week we caught up with Nicole Pivirotto, the spiritual practitioner & designer behind Aesthetic Magic and our newest workshop, Healing with Color on 5/26. Scroll on to read our interview with her!
Who are you? Feel free to lay it all out here.
I'm Nicole, and I run a design studio / product line called Aesthetic Magic, which specializes in the magic of art and design. I'm also a graphic designer, Reiki Master, Akashic Records reader, and Tarot Reader.
What is your origin story? Tell us about where and how you grew up. Are there details from your culture and upbringing that influence your work today?
I grew up in rural Connecticut, in the middle of the woods, and because of this I spent a lot of time outdoors in nature. I was also really lucky to have my creativity encouraged at a young age, so I've been making things my entire life.
I was raised Roman Catholic. When I was an early teen I decided that Catholicism wasn't in alignment for me, and my parents let me explore other religions in order to find something that felt right. I never really found it in any type of typical religious framework, but I feel really lucky that I had the ability and opportunity to engage in exploration. In addition, I also have always been interested in all things occult, and would go to my local town library as a kid and check out books on ESP, the paranormal, and divination. I never thought that all of this would lead to where I am now, but I do think that constantly questioning, researching, and looking for more are a really important part of my practice and something I still engage in.
Where do you currently live? How does your community inform/influence your work?
I currently live in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn. It's interesting because pre-pandemic, the local spiritual community had a big influence on my work, since there were lots of great local spots and practitioners in the area. Most of my trainings were done a few blocks away from where I live now! That all shifted during the pandemic to a more online community and connections, which has been really wonderful.
The local art and design community have also really impacted my practice. I worked for 10+ years as a designer/art director in many NYC design studios, and having that work experience has been a huge influence.
The city itself is an influence. The people, the architecture, the streets, and of course the amazing museums and galleries. It's hard not be constantly inspired.
What led you to begin your line of work and how long have you been doing it?
Several years ago I took my Reiki 1 training and that pretty much changed everything. Before that I wasn't sure about anything spiritual, but Reiki 1 was special because for the first time ever I felt like I had made contact with something much larger than myself. After that I dove head first into my spiritual studies and basically was a sponge trying to soak up every bit of information as possible!
At the same time, I was working in a design studio. My boss had asked me to look up some color psychology meanings to help try and sell a color palette to a client. When I was doing my research I realized that there was a huge overlap between how we use color in design and how we use color in spirituality. That its basically the same! From there I had the idea to start my small business, and to create a product line based on the magic of art and design.
What words of advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur, artist, designer, healer, etc. that is wanting to get started?
Honestly, I would say that there is no "perfect" time to get started, so whenever you feel like you're ready and excited is the time to get started! Also, don't be afraid to fail. Truthfully the first couple of products I made did not sell well (or really at all!), but I feel glad that I stuck with it to create the Prism Oracle. Sometimes you need to fail a little bit in order to tweak, realign, and learn from your mistakes. Lastly, don't quit your day job! Truthfully, it feels better to have a financial cushion to fall back on, even if you're not a big fan of your job. I still do a lot of freelance design work outside of Aesthetic Magic, and in this moment it feels right to me! We all have different paths, but I like to think that no matter the path, we all get to where we need to go.
What's your ritual? What do you incorporate in your day-to-day to help you feel more connected with yourself and business.
Taking a walk while listening to some music. Even if it's just a short walk, getting out of my apartment, moving my body, and letting my mind drift gives me a lot of space which helps enhance my creativity. It's when an idea might pop into my head, or it just gives my brain a little bit of a break and the opportunity to recenter.
What is your favorite product or service you offer and what makes it so special to you?
I love all of my products for different reasons, but the Prism Oracle is one that is really special to me. On a practical level, it has helped bring my business to where it is today. But on an emotional level it's a lot more. It helped ease me out of a sense of general malaise when I created the first version of it, and it was the first thing I ever illustrated so it gave me a lot of confidence. Each version of it allowed me to reassess my relationship with color and spirit. It's given me so much, and I'm so grateful to have it as a part of my life :-)
What’s your favorite color?
My favorite color is pink, and I love all shades and tones of this color. I've always loved pink ever since I was young, but once I started researching color I appreciated it even more, because of its range of connotations. For example, light pink can be soft and calming, reddish-pinks (corals) can feel more sophisticated, and bright shades like fuschia and magenta can be feisty, disruptive, and unexpected. No matter what the shade though, pink always makes me happy. Which is reason enough to love it.
Do you have any books, podcasts, or resources you want to recommend to the community?
I'm obsessed with books, so I'd highly recommend "The Secret Lives of Color" by Kassia St. Clair and "The Little Book of Colour" by Karen Haller. Also "The Spiral Dance" by Starhawk is a truly amazing book on witchcraft.
Feel free to shout out other creatives here! We love learning about other movers, makers, and shakers out there.
I'm a huge fan of fellow witchy creatives Grace Duong (Mystic Mondays) and Sara Lyons! I'm also impaired by the quilting work of Devon Iott and the energy portraits of Delta Venus.
We must know: what are some of your favorite products at Ritual Shoppe?
The Neon Green Twist Candle, Arch Propagation Vase, and the Curve Clip
Sign up for Nicole's class, Healing with Color on 5/26, here!
