MIA VAN BEEK
Mia and Nellie in the design studio.
MASTER GOLDSMITH JEWELRY DESIGNER. Mia's creativity is drawn from her love of working with lasting gems and finding ways to celebrate the joys of life. At a young age she discovered a passion for designing jewelry, and in 1996 she became Sweden's youngest woman to earn a Goldsmith Master Degree in jewelry. She spent eight years designing necklaces, rings, and earrings while working as a studio manager for a jewelry boutique. In 2004 she received the New Designer of the Year Award at the Stockholm Jewelry Trade show.
Later she met her future husband at a wedding in New York, and in 2005 she moved to Charlottesville, Virginia. Soon she established FORMIA DESIGN, a jewelry business that continues to blossom and grow in new ways. Her designs were featured on The Today Show on December 2, 2010.
Today Mia lives in Charlottesville with her husband and two daughters, Josefine and Nellie. She loves sharing the design process with her young daughters in the studio.
Featured below is a select collection of Mia's jewelry, including an array of children's drawings turned into key chains and necklaces. She offers custom jewelry design and has unique pieces available at her Etsy studio and FORMIA DESIGN. Mia can be reached here with any questions you may have for her. Her daughters also love to receive messages.
*Leave a comment for Mia or her daughters, Josefine and Nellie. Be part of the community at four days a week. Inspiring. Encouraging. Believing.*
Later she met her future husband at a wedding in New York, and in 2005 she moved to Charlottesville, Virginia. Soon she established FORMIA DESIGN, a jewelry business that continues to blossom and grow in new ways. Her designs were featured on The Today Show on December 2, 2010.
Today Mia lives in Charlottesville with her husband and two daughters, Josefine and Nellie. She loves sharing the design process with her young daughters in the studio.
Featured below is a select collection of Mia's jewelry, including an array of children's drawings turned into key chains and necklaces. She offers custom jewelry design and has unique pieces available at her Etsy studio and FORMIA DESIGN. Mia can be reached here with any questions you may have for her. Her daughters also love to receive messages.
*Leave a comment for Mia or her daughters, Josefine and Nellie. Be part of the community at four days a week. Inspiring. Encouraging. Believing.*
Click on each image for a full view of Mia's jewelry.
A MOMENT WITH MIA.
November 2010
WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A JEWELRY DESIGNER?
I decided to give it a chance already at 16 years of age, I began my journey as a jeweler in Sweden through an occupational training program (the equivalent of American high school years). In three years of jewelry school, I worked with brass, silver, and gold, then I earned my journeyman diploma followed by an apprenticeship. After working a couple of hours, I applied to become a Master Goldsmith. I became Sweden's youngest female goldsmith master in 1996 (with much celebrated recognition).
WHAT WAS THE FIRST JEWELRY PIECE YOU DESIGNED?
The very first piece I put my own personal design on was a pendant in silver during my first year of jewelry school. Most of the work throughout school was after much strict drawings and instructions to get to know tools and different techniques but frequently we could add our own touch on the pieces. The time when I really started to enjoy the process of designing was after the experience of design college.
TELL US ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND TURNING CHILDREN'S DRAWINGS INTO JEWELRY.
My children were the inspiration to the children's art as jewelry. I really wanted my three-year-old daughter, Josefine, to be involved in her preschool teacher's gift at the end of the school year, so I asked her to design a pair of earrings for her teacher. She drew a scribble, which actually became a cool design. Her teacher loved her earrings and I see them frequently on her, as I now see her working with my second child, Nellie. The idea to continue this was born when all my friends and family around us got thrilled about the idea and other orders started to show up.
A year later business started picking up attention from social websites, blogs and gift guides all around the world. I now have an organized way online to receive downloaded drawings, emailing price quotes, confirming order with payment, "hand make the piece," photograph and wrap it up for shipping. I recently hired an assistant, and she has been a great help. Christmas is our high season, and I get swamped fast and work unreasonable hours. But I love what I do.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING A MASTER GOLDSMITH AND JEWELRY DESIGNER?
The part I love the most is to run my own business that opens the possibilities to create and play with my own ideas. Even if most of my work is still to work close with my clients and their wishes, it is always a sense of accomplishment once the piece is well received. It is amazing how your hands can work together with your thought making the visual image in your head to a real unique piece.
WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF BEING A DESIGNER, MOM, WIFE, AND BUSINESS OWNER? HOW DO YOU BALANCE IT ALL?
My two daughters, ages 3 and 5, love helping me make jewelry. I let them try out tools and materials. In the scrap bucket, they're allowed the freedom to create, bend, and file their own pieces. Their favorite game is playing "jewelry store." I find balance because I enjoy my work as much as the kids.
I work best when I have unlimited focused time to design and create, but as a parent, time is curtailed to a schedule where I have to start-stop work to complete a project throughout the week. A happy mom is usually a mom that gets mommy time and mommy time for me is work. If something drives me, then I become a better mom.
WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A JEWELRY DESIGNER?
I decided to give it a chance already at 16 years of age, I began my journey as a jeweler in Sweden through an occupational training program (the equivalent of American high school years). In three years of jewelry school, I worked with brass, silver, and gold, then I earned my journeyman diploma followed by an apprenticeship. After working a couple of hours, I applied to become a Master Goldsmith. I became Sweden's youngest female goldsmith master in 1996 (with much celebrated recognition).
WHAT WAS THE FIRST JEWELRY PIECE YOU DESIGNED?
The very first piece I put my own personal design on was a pendant in silver during my first year of jewelry school. Most of the work throughout school was after much strict drawings and instructions to get to know tools and different techniques but frequently we could add our own touch on the pieces. The time when I really started to enjoy the process of designing was after the experience of design college.
TELL US ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND TURNING CHILDREN'S DRAWINGS INTO JEWELRY.
My children were the inspiration to the children's art as jewelry. I really wanted my three-year-old daughter, Josefine, to be involved in her preschool teacher's gift at the end of the school year, so I asked her to design a pair of earrings for her teacher. She drew a scribble, which actually became a cool design. Her teacher loved her earrings and I see them frequently on her, as I now see her working with my second child, Nellie. The idea to continue this was born when all my friends and family around us got thrilled about the idea and other orders started to show up.
A year later business started picking up attention from social websites, blogs and gift guides all around the world. I now have an organized way online to receive downloaded drawings, emailing price quotes, confirming order with payment, "hand make the piece," photograph and wrap it up for shipping. I recently hired an assistant, and she has been a great help. Christmas is our high season, and I get swamped fast and work unreasonable hours. But I love what I do.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING A MASTER GOLDSMITH AND JEWELRY DESIGNER?
The part I love the most is to run my own business that opens the possibilities to create and play with my own ideas. Even if most of my work is still to work close with my clients and their wishes, it is always a sense of accomplishment once the piece is well received. It is amazing how your hands can work together with your thought making the visual image in your head to a real unique piece.
WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF BEING A DESIGNER, MOM, WIFE, AND BUSINESS OWNER? HOW DO YOU BALANCE IT ALL?
My two daughters, ages 3 and 5, love helping me make jewelry. I let them try out tools and materials. In the scrap bucket, they're allowed the freedom to create, bend, and file their own pieces. Their favorite game is playing "jewelry store." I find balance because I enjoy my work as much as the kids.
I work best when I have unlimited focused time to design and create, but as a parent, time is curtailed to a schedule where I have to start-stop work to complete a project throughout the week. A happy mom is usually a mom that gets mommy time and mommy time for me is work. If something drives me, then I become a better mom.
Josefine, Mia, and Nellie having fun with Halloween.
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY DESIGNING IN YOUR STUDIO?
I am right now finding joy in creating other types of jewelry with children's drawings, such as having the drawings as bookmarks or a decor on a bracelet bangle. As well as I am in constant work with clients and their special wishes for their own gemstones or ideas. Another thing that I have started is making designed links for a necklace to complement pearls or other custom designs.
WHEN YOU ARE NOT DESIGNING JEWELRY, WHAT IS YOUR MOST FAVORITE THING TO DO?
To spend time with my family. I love to watch my children's creativity when it comes to transform a box to a playhouse or the sofa chair to a car. We go and swim a couple of times a week. I really enjoy cooking with help from my children and along with fairly loud, good music and some dance moves in between chopping the veggies!
WHAT'S ONE THING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU?
As a child I loved to make a drawing as an enlarged copy of a picture out of a cartoon book. Amazingly close enough to what my work is today with children's drawings.
HOW WOULD YOUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS DESCRIBE YOU?
Happy. Very social and full of ideas on what to do next, finding things for ourselves and our kids to be creative with. Always try to keep a positive outlook on life. A problem solver.
I am right now finding joy in creating other types of jewelry with children's drawings, such as having the drawings as bookmarks or a decor on a bracelet bangle. As well as I am in constant work with clients and their special wishes for their own gemstones or ideas. Another thing that I have started is making designed links for a necklace to complement pearls or other custom designs.
WHEN YOU ARE NOT DESIGNING JEWELRY, WHAT IS YOUR MOST FAVORITE THING TO DO?
To spend time with my family. I love to watch my children's creativity when it comes to transform a box to a playhouse or the sofa chair to a car. We go and swim a couple of times a week. I really enjoy cooking with help from my children and along with fairly loud, good music and some dance moves in between chopping the veggies!
WHAT'S ONE THING MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU?
As a child I loved to make a drawing as an enlarged copy of a picture out of a cartoon book. Amazingly close enough to what my work is today with children's drawings.
HOW WOULD YOUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS DESCRIBE YOU?
Happy. Very social and full of ideas on what to do next, finding things for ourselves and our kids to be creative with. Always try to keep a positive outlook on life. A problem solver.
Welcome to Mia van Beek's haven at four days a week.
Bringing life to art.
Children's drawings turning into treasures that keep forever.
A bracelet, a key chain. A necklace, or a bookmark.
It's all possible.
Bringing life to art.
Children's drawings turning into treasures that keep forever.
A bracelet, a key chain. A necklace, or a bookmark.
It's all possible.
 Mia van Beek at work in her jewelry design studio. | CELEBRATE THE SPECIAL MOMENTS IN LIFE.
Capture the magic and joy with Mia: ♥ Custom handmade jewelry in gold, silver, platinum, pearls and gemstones. ♥ Children's drawings turning into treasures that keep forever. A bracelet, a key chain. A necklace, or a bookmark. It's all possible. ♥ Heirloom pieces renewed and brought to life. ♥ One-of-a-kind and molded from Mia's own hands in her studio. ♥ To place an order, contact Mia directly at FORMIA DESIGN. |
