Hiring Hoosiers is an initiative from RTV6 that works to connect Hoosiers to employment opportunities, career development resources, training programs and educational paths. Learn more about Hiring Hoosiers and see new stories weekdays at 6 a.m. on RTV6.
MCCORDSVILLE — Through RTV6’s Hiring Hoosiers initiative, we have focused on helping you land your dream job, but sometimes that job is one you have to create yourself.
As we showed you in July during ABC’s "Shark Tank" open casting call, a lot of people are doing just that including Nicole Lewis, who is making the life a little brighter with her product — Art2TheExtreme.
“I remember when I was little, melting crayons down in wax Dixie cups with my mom because everyone has melted down crayons before at some point,” Lewis said.
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Lewis then took the technique into her classroom.
“Kindergarteners, as you imagine, have so many little tiny nubs and stubs," Lewis said. "We broke them apart, melted them down, and used them for texture rubbings.”
Lewis said doing it the old-fashioned way worked, but she knew there had to be a less stinky, and less messy technique.
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“It’s not just as simple as melting them down because it’s a lot of trial and error to get the right kind of recipe and the way that they melt down,” Lewis said.
Once Lewis perfected the recipe, she started to sell the multi-color crayons on a then-new etsy.com. Before she knew it, she was making a lot of green.
“So little by little over the years, I’ve just picked up so much information to continue to grow my business," Lewis said. "After my first son was born in 2014, I was able to quit my job and do this full-time and that’s when things really took off.”
The Art2TheExtreme shop now boasts 682 different shapes, all made in Lewis’ basement.
“It’s extremely mindboggling going from something so simple, to blowing up this huge business that’s hopefully expanding soon,” Lewis said.
That growth hopefully will come from the help of a “Shark” with an affinity for rainbows.
“I would love to have a production facility here locally, whether it’s McCordsville or somewhere else," Lewis said. "I’d like to see it stay local. We just can’t keep up and we know we need help.”
Lewis has also done a lot of work with celebrities, and even does corporate crayons!
