About Nicci

My name is Nicole (Nicci) Avey. In a (small) nut shell, I'm a sometimes-business-mostly-fun-semi-big(as in age)-little(as in size)-girl! I am 22 years old and in my junior year at Texas State University earning my Bachelors in Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in Photography, a minor in Psychology, and another minor in Business Management. My plan is to graduate by December 2012 at the latest and move forward to California and start earning my Masters in Art Therapy, then eventually my Doctorates in something psychology. Not sure what yet.

I am a Teen and Dating Violence Advocate of 8 years now, since 2003. I started advocating after surviving my own abusive relationship at age 15 that towards the end got physical. I decided that others needed to know how often this was going on amongst teens today (1 and 3 girls between ages 12-18 report being verbally abused in their dating relationships.) and started telling my story. I currently work for Love Is Respect, The National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline, I've been there for 4 years now.

Aside from school and the Helpline, I spend most of my time at home with my lovely boyfriend, David, and our two crazy dogs, Haley and Hydie. Music is a great passion of mine. I was apart of a few different choirs in my younger years and played flute in my middle school band. I would have continued playing flute in high school, had my school allowed me to play with the orchestra. BUT they didn't, so my flute playing career ended. That's okay though, because photography is my true passion.

I have always wanted to go to Paris, France. For some reason, I feel I belong there. Maybe it's the photographer, or romantic, in me but I know that The City of Lights has a lot to offer me. That's why I'm trying to raise the money to go and take a photography class for college credit during summer school there. This is an amazing opportunity that I feel I shouldn't be held back from simply because I missed the scholarship application deadline. (In my defense, it wouldn't have covered but 1/4th of the expenses anyways.) This is the only way I could think of raising the money for me to go, by selling some art that I have made here and offering art of the most beautiful place in the world when I return home.


My Photography Business/Services offered:
www.natebakephoto.com

And don't forget to check out my Etsy page! A link is located on my left sidebar or you can just click here.