Photographer, designer, painter, crafter, sewer, sculptor, baker… Niky Studenski likes to think of herself as a ‘Jane of all trades’ and, based on what she creates as the owner of Umpteen Designs, that’s a pretty accurate title. “Umpteen Design’s logo is an octopus (I named her Jane) because in each of her eight tentacles is a tool that represents my passions and projects. I have so many things I do. I am the proud owner of a hot glue gun, a bunch of paint brushes, an embroidery hoop, a sewing machine, some clay cutters, and an endless supply of glitter! I love drawing and painting, I make fancy sugar cookies and cakes, I can sew (I used to work at an alterations shop), I have cosmetology in my background, so styling hair and doing nails is a fun hobby too. People often ask me what I can't do, and I tell them knitting and welding – only because I haven't learned how to do that yet. I love learning new things all the time.”
“I started Umpteen Designs because I had always been taking on creative side jobs, whether it be designing a logo for someone, taking photos, or just making stuff to sell,” shared Niky. “I needed a way to be able to be a little more professional about my billing. Umpteen Designs started in 2021. I started making polymer clay earrings and jewelry just before COVID hit, and started selling them shortly after.”
On her long list of skills and creative expertise is photography. Niky has been working with St. Cloud Shines since 2022 to help capture the images you see in stories like this. “Oh Snappy Days is another business I own with Carrie Bauman. While I photograph the St. Cloud Shines Stories under Umpteen Designs, I often credit it to Oh Snappy Days to help grow awareness of our photography business. My favorite thing about working on the St. Cloud Shines Stories is all the people that I meet and the opportunities I have gotten from meeting them. I have learned so much about all the connections people have in the St. Cloud area; the networking is amazing. It really is a town of who you know, not what you know. I am truly blessed to have gotten the opportunity to be the Photographer for St. Cloud Shines, which came from being at an event selling Umpteen Designs Earrings, where I was asked to do so by a client from Oh Snappy Days. It all connects and comes full circle!”
“I always tell people that photography is one of my love languages. I try to stand out for being authentic – I like keeping my editing fairly neutral and not overly stylized. I want my work to stand the test of time and not be like the photos we see from the 80s and 90s portrait studios, and people know when it was done. I love catching those special moments and try to be more lifestyle-oriented with my work. I also pride myself on being overly helpful. For example, when I’m photographing a wedding, I do whatever I can; I have fixed flowers that got damaged, I use my alterations background to bustle and unbustle dresses for brides, I fix hair … anything I can do to make everyone's day just a little bit easier. I went to school for photography, and my love for learning it hasn't stopped. I am always looking at different ways to do things,” explained Niky.
“My polymer clay jewelry stands out because I love quirky, colorful, unique things. My work is more whimsical and a little out there (in the best way possible) rather than refined. Bright colors and humor are where it’s at for me. I come up with bold ideas and execute them. If shoppers aren’t sure what they’ll wear my jewelry with, I’m always happy to give suggestions, I usually have a vision in my head!”
Although Niky is always working on creations, Umpteen Designs is not her full-time gig, but it keeps her busy when she’s not working on photography. “I wish I could create stuff all day and just busy myself by making things, but – as business owners know – there is more to Umpteen Designs than just fun creative stuff, I’m always working on photos for the website, inventory, and various ‘running the business’ tasks.”
Niky shares her time and talent with a variety of organizations in the community, including St. Cloud Shines photos, business partnerships, the INDY Foundation, and SCSU’s Lemonade Art Fair each June. “One of my favorite events to do every year is the Lemonade Art Fair at St. Cloud State. I love being there and the fun energy of the event. I’ve also really enjoyed being a vendor at AAFCM’s local Beauty and the Bias event each spring. I met so many great connections during my first year being a vendor for their event (including Bridget, who connected me with St. Cloud Shines), I love going back every year they ask!”
“The Central MN Community is incredible. Anytime I’ve been at events - whether I’m a vendor or photographer - everyone is always kind to me, even if they have the same products I do. I once met a young girl with a business making clay earrings … I had followed her prior to the event, but when she stopped at my booth, I let her know I follow her and she was over the moon about it! I’m a people person, and I love to have the chance to talk with others and hear their stories. If I can make someone’s day by listening to a story, I’m all for it. Part of being a photographer is telling a story through my work, so I love to hear what others have to share.”
“Support your local businesses, the sales they get from you can support their child's sports fees or band lessons. It could pay one of their bills. The more local support we give, the more money gets put back into our own communities. Word-of-mouth is one of the easiest ways to support me, but in the digital age, social media follows are huge too. It doesn’t cost anything to hit ‘like’ or ‘follow,’ and sharing content helps your network see it too.” See her beautiful work at www.umpteendesign.com.
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