Desk Tour: Tori Nardone

Welcome to Desk Tour, a series where I interview creative folks about their desks and workspaces. In case you missed it: Claire Daverley’s Desk Tour from last time. You can also browse the entire catalog of Desk Tours.

With each day, my tolerance for social media lessens, but there are absolutely times when I am reminded of its specific beauty, and one of those is absolutely when it connects me with someone who inspires me. I’ve been lucky enough to know Tori Nardone for a handful years now. When she first reached out and offered to send me one of her gorgeous handmade shell necklaces I (of course) could not say no. Since then, I’ve not only come to appreciate her talent as an artist, but also her kindness a person. When I learned that her day job includes working to fight for women’s rights in the south (at WREN), I wasn’t surprised at all.

This is one of my favorite desk tours of late, because it’s the perfect example of how someone weaves their values and creativity into their day-to-day life. Nothing could inspire me more. Here’s Tori’s space…

PS: Inspired by Tori’s space or the work she’s doing? Join me today in donating to Women’s Rights & Empowerment Network today, which is working to influence policy changes in South Carolina that positively affect women and girls, increase public awareness of gender justice issues, and empower individuals and communities to take action.

OM: Describe your workspace.

TN: I’m lucky enough to have my own room that I can claim as my office, which my friends lovingly call the “creative cave.” I live with two boys (my husband and son) and a slew of animals, so it’s my designated girly escape, and I adore it. It houses my standing desk, a loveseat, my Peloton, and a closet full of dresses and shoes that don’t fit in the extremely small closets in our primary bedroom. When I’m in focus mode, the door is always closed, and coffeehouse jazz is playing in the background.

OM: What are your three favorite items on your desk right now?

TN: First, a piece of art my son made at school. Second, my jar of “fucks to give,” which makes me giggle every day. And third, a blue sunflower lamp my friend spotted at an antique shop and immediately sent me a photo of with the message, “You need this,” because she knows how much I love sunflowers. I did, indeed. I love when people just get you like that.

OM: Do you keep anything specific at your desk that you use as inspiration to stay creative or positive?

TN: A framed photo of my late grandmother (Nanny) in her element - sitting in he rocking chair, smoking a cigarette, sipping a can of Diet Rite with a straw. When work gets heavy and hard (which it often does, as I fight for women’s rights in the South - next week I’m headed to the Statehouse to oppose two extreme anti-abortion bills), or when I’m stuck on a creative project, I hear her voice in my head cheering me on and telling me to keep going. I miss her very much. The novel I’ve been perpetually working on is deeply centered around her role as our family’s matriarch and overall badass.

On a lighter note, I also have a cross-stitch of a little girl with a Megan Thee Stallion lyric embroidered by a local Charleston artist, and that hypes me up every damn day.

[I have] a framed photo of my late grandmother (Nanny) in her element - sitting in he rocking chair, smoking a cigarette, sipping a can of Diet Rite with a straw. When work gets heavy and hard (which it often does, as I fight for women’s rights in the South - next week I’m headed to the Statehouse to oppose two extreme anti-abortion bills), or when I’m stuck on a creative project, I hear her voice in my head cheering me on and telling me to keep going. I miss her very much.

OM: Is there anything you absolutely HAVE to have at your desk/workspace or you can’t be productive?

TN: A closed door, peace and quiet, and the ability to be completely by myself make all the difference for me. As long as I have a fully charged laptop, my blue-light glasses, a notepad for all my random thoughts, and my giant water bottle to stay hydrated, I’m golden.

OM: Is there anything you’d change about your workspace? If so, what?

TN: I used to have a massive, curated gallery wall that I took down semi-recently because I felt like I needed a more “grown-up,” clean-looking space. I miss it terribly and plan to redo it this year. I’d also love to swap out the loveseat for a daybed for houseguests, but I haven’t found one that really speaks to me yet.

OM: What books are on your desk right now?

TN: I use three coffee table books as my laptop stand, which my husband insists is wildly non-ergonomic, but I find it incredibly chic, so my neck can suffer. My personal library and ever-growing TBR pile live on a bookshelf next to my bed in the other room. In my office, though, I keep a few favorites, including Carley Fortune’s Every Summer After and One Golden Summer. It takes a lot for me to actually keep a book (I’m a devoted library girl and love to pass them along) but I’m the biggest Carley Fortune fan and am endlessly inspired by her writing and career.

OM: Describe your ideal work day at your desk.

TN: I’m able to sit down around 8:30/9am after spending the morning with my son and dropping him off at school. I dive into deep-thinking, creative work like writing an op-ed, developing a campaign, or creating social content. At noon, I sneak off to take a Pilates class at the studio down the street. In the afternoon, I have strategy meetings with my team and check off administrative tasks while listening to something soothing on Spotify. Then, after my son goes to bed, I come back in to work on my novel or make a new piece of jewelry.

OM: Where can people find you on the internet?

TN: Professionally? If you live in South Carolina and care about women’s rights, you should absolutely follow my work @wrenetwork / www.scwren.org to stay informed on what’s happening at the statehouse and beyond. Personally? I keep my Instagram private for my son’s safety, but I’d love if you followed my creative account @storiedbytori – I share all my creative endeavors there and on www.storiedbytori.com. ☺ Oh, and you can get my children’s book ‘This Boy’ on Amazon.

Note from Olivia: I don’t know about you, but I will be FIRST in line to read Tori’s novel. And a reminder that you can get her lovely children’s book now.

Also, if you’re in South Carolina, consider registering for WREN’s 10-year anniversary summit happening in October in Charleston. From Tori: “If folks care about the future of women and girls in South Carolina, it's a great place to help move the state forward :)”

A portion of July’s subscriber proceeds will go to Columbia Kitchen, a local nonprofit which helps provide free meals to those in need in my community.