Interview with Paul Mueller of Windwalker Accessories

Scorpion necklace done in hematite, rutilated quartz and titanium.

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Paul for several years and I’d like to share with you one of his many talents.  Paul creates insightful, meaningful and very special jewelry pieces.  These are not just beautiful.  They also are done with very loving, meaningful, and spiritual intentions and exacting attention to detail which can be custom made per the wishes of the wearer, or left to Paul’s keen insights.

Jean:  Hi Paul, thanks for sharing with my readers.  Would you mind telling us a little bit about yourself?

Paul:  My name, is Paul F. Mueller III.  I also go by Nicodemai Windwalker, which is my artist’s name.  “Nicodemai” is the name that signifies my religious beliefs.  “Windwalker means traveller.  WIndwalker, is a surname given to me by my adopted mother, and coincidentally also the name we chose for our humble little shop.

I’ve always been an artist deep down from the time I got my first clarinet at age eight.  I knew that art was my calling.  Whether it has been drawing, playing music, or making things that are “pretty”, art has always been what I wanted to do.

Sadly, life doesn’t always work that way.  For the last 14 years I’ve been working on computers.  Building them and maintaining them.  A far cry from the happiness I get out of making a necklace and getting the feedback that it is treasured.

Recently though, at 33, life threw me some curve balls and I ended up with the opportunity to pursue my artistic side.   I haven’t stopped for a day since.  Creating, writing, drawing, making objects has become all-consuming.  It’s still an infant shop, but it’s mine and I truly love what I’m doing; making people happy with such a simple little trinket.  That’s what really matters, I think.  Finding something you enjoy doing, and if given the chance to do what YOU love, please, don’t let it slip through your fingers.

I have never felt such satisfaction, pride, or enjoyment in anything that I have done in my life.

Jean:  Well, I think you’re well on your way.  What is it that most inspires you, Paul, in making your creations?

Paul:  I’ll try not to sound like an insane person, but energy inspires me.  I’ve always been a creative person though, and that lends a big part to the things I make.  Mostly though, the happiness on a person’s face when they truly like what I do, is my biggest drive of them all.

I make things with a certain energy in mind.  Take for instance, the turtle necklace.  When making it, I focused on the turtle, what it represents, and how it lives.  The owner of that piece tells me it “feels like water”, and also that it feels “tranquil, and relaxing”.  Hearing that feedback, I believe I did exactly what it was I set out to do.  Capturing an energy.  Here’s a photo of that piece for you. 

Here’s a little more though to further explain my process.  I always start, in the case of a necklace, with the centerpiece.  I meditate, on what that represents.  I then choose stones that line up with that particular “theme” or energy.  Using the turtle as an example, I chose stones that carry the feeling of water and calm strength.  As I set the stones onto their cord, I focus that energy or feeling into the piece, stone by stone.  Once done with a piece i’m usually pretty drained, but I feel the results are more than worth a little of my energy being used exerted.

Jean:  Do you feel yourself drawn more often to certain stones than others?

Paul:  Yes.  I absolutely LOVE working with onyx.  It carries a very strong energy, and for the most part, is “neutral”.  Also, tigers eye because I find it absolutely GORGEOUS.  To be honest, I find beauty in most all of the stones I work with and I pay attention to what energies they possess.  Some stones are just not suited for some “themes” or energies.  For instance, if I was making a piece for a fire-signed person, stones that convey water are just out of the question.

Jean:  That makes sense.  Do you feel there is a purpose behind what you create?

Paul:   Yes, absolutely.  In the case of a custom ordered piece, I go to great lengths to try and make it as good a “fit” for the client as possible.

Jean:  You say you intend a spiritual purpose for the item and you can you somewhat define what the purpose is?

Paul:  Absolutely.  However, that really falls upon the wearer to be aware of those purposes.  I have a good example of that, but sadly no picture of it.  A recent client, a dear friend of mine, sent me a tourmaline shard ready to be set onto a custom “chain”.  She requested that the energy was specific for protections.  So after a little research, and knowing she is an Earth sign, I set to work, with jade and tigers eye.  Both Earth element stones, both for protection.  It came out beautifully.

Jean:  I sure wish you had a picture of it.  Would you mind sharing a few more pictures and the stories behind them?

Paul:  Sure, but I don’t normally take images of the custom pieces, as they aren’t available for the general public.  I like to keep the personal aspect private for work like that.  Here’s one, that was for my ex girlfriend of four and a half years.

Necklace: pentacle, onyx and tigers eye.

After I moved here, we were trying to keep things all nice and the way we were, but that didnt turn out so well.  She was new to her chosen “path”, so I took it upon myself to fashion her a protection piece, using a traditional symbol of our faith as the centerpiece; onyx for strength, tigers eye for protection and clarity.  She absolutely loves it, told me before our parting that it really helped her to keep calm and focused in her meditations.  It also helped her own energy be more balanced.

Here, we have an example of a piece, for a friend, who quite simply saw it and had to have it.  He wears it every day.

Necklace: ankh, onyx and dalmation jasper.

Jean: It’s beautiful

Paul: Thank you.

Jean:  What energies do you feel this piece projects?

Paul:  The ankh is one of the oldest symbols of protection out there.  Jasper aids in quick thinking and promotes organization and seeing projects through.  It’s funny that he was drawn to that piece, in a way.  I’ve known him for years and he can tend to start something and not finish them.  (chuckles)  I suppose here is where we can say that really, it’s all in how the wearer perceives things, in the sense that the applications could be, well, restricted only by understanding.

Jean:  That makes perfect sense.  What are the materials you prefer to work with, aside from the stones?

Paul:  For the cording, I use fine silver wire as I find it a wonderful conductor of energy.  For the clasping I also use silver as with the charms.  I’m partial to silver all ways around I guess.  I’ll work with gold though if requested.

Jean:  Historically, isn’t it true silver is thought to be more “pure”?

Paul:  Yes.  In fact at one point in history it was more valuable than gold.  Also, gold can’t “kill a werewolf”.  (joking there)

Jean:  (Laughs)  You’ve just completed a custom piece, I understand; a rosary in which you even did each link by hand.  Can you tell us a little about this?

Paul:  Wow that was an undertaking.  I used 398 hand linked silver rings, 60 blood stones set onto silver bars with “eyes” at each end so they could accept and be made into the chain and also set onto the bars by hand.  I did it in the traditional “style”, as requested, but was given liberty to add a little of my “pagan flair” as my client called it.  I asked his birthday and did a little research into his birthstones.  Happily, I found that the blood stone not only was one of his birthstones, but also a wonderful stone as metaphor for “the blood of the Christ”.  At that point the choice was rather obvious.

Jean:  You have to love that synchronicity.

Paul:  Oh absolutely. (Smiles)

Jean:  If someone is interested in having you make a piece for them, how would they contact you?

Paul:  My email address is :  mueller.paul25@yahoo.com

I’ll soon be building a website for the humble little shop as soon as I can pick some web development software that I like and will suit my needs.

Jean:  Great!  When you have a link, be sure to share it with me and we’ll post it here.  Thank you so much, Paul, for taking the time to share your work with my readers.  It’s definitely something special.

PaulI: Oh no, thank YOU, it really was my pleasure.

One last look at two more of Paul’s pieces:

Necklace: Dolphin, white and blue cats eye with sodalite.

Necklace: Owl, jasper and onyx.