Nadine Ifrah Leo

Nadine Ifrah Leo is the founder and owner of Mississippi River Pearl Jewelry Company in Alma, Wisconsin specializing in jewelry using pearls from the Mississippi River. She is also an oil painter and divides her time painting the wildlife of the River area and Native Americans of the upper Midwest and Plains region with a special interest in the Lakota Sioux and Chippewa Nations.

Being born and raised in Morocco, Nadine feels very connected with her past, she has painted a series of Berber Women of Morocco wearing all their beautiful jewelry and colorful clothing. The paintings were made into greeting cards for Morocco at Disney's Epcot Center, the originals are on this website under "Nadine's Paintings." Having made jewelry and painted all her life she feels that all the roads she has traveled are now joining in a complete journey.

Nadine has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and a degree from les Arts Appliqués in Paris, France. She has also studied art under some of our country's finest masters including, Martin Grelle, Bruce Greene, John Coleman (sculpture), Larry Riley, R. S. Riddick, Tom Haas, Dave Powell, Jove Wang, and she paints along side Dan Gerhartz. She is passionate about all aspects of her creative life.