I love beadwork – probably that isn’t a big surprise, is it? And I have a feeling you like it, too. We may have different reasons and motivation. Now I would like to share with you one of mines: it is the fact that beadweaving and especially bead embroidery builds a beautiful bridge between past and present, innovation and tradition. And Ewa Machnik‘s artwork is a fantastic example.
I met Ewa in Hamburg, at the Beader’s Best show. She was friendly, smiling and wearing her necklace “Secret Garden”, which was her contribution to the Battle of the Beadsmith in 2014. And a year later, when I contacted her regarding the series of virtual chit-chat Face to Face, she was happy and quick to reply. A pleasure to meet her and a pleasure to work with.
You will find here interviews with jewelry makers and fashion designers every second week. Together with Terka, who was the first to answer and Ewa we wish you a pleasent time reading!
Please tell us about yourself and your brand a bit!
Bead embroidery is my passion and my perfect method of relaxation. I am a full time mother of three children and also and organic chemist and a self-taught beader. I love spending every moment transforming my dreams and my imagination into colorful projects.
How did your story as a designer begin? Do you remember the first piece you sold?
I started my beading three years ago but already as a child I was fascinated by all kinds of embroidery. As a kid, I watched my mother and grandmother creating beautiful embroidered pieces. I grew up in a Slavic family where the embroidery was passed from generation to generation. I don’t remember my first piece I sold. I don’t like selling them because I’m very emotionally involved and very often leave them for myself.
Please tell us how does your average day look like! It’s so exciting to get to know more about the lifestyle of a designer!
I am a very happy mother of three children, PhD organic chemist and a beader. My average day is very normal. I spend my days with my three kids and when the evenings or weekends come I have time to start new beading projects or finish the old ones.
What makes your designs stand out of the crowd of other designers? Which are your favorite colors, shapes, materials etc?
I love the bead embroidery and I try to put in it as much of my imagination as it’s possible. I love to hide small details amongst the different kinds of beads, stones and crystals. I always try to use many different techniques and materials. I love warm colors. Most often you can see shades of brown, gold (my favorite is gold iris), red and from time to time purple and blue colors. Mostly, it depends on my mood. I love silk shibori ribbon. It gives me the possibility to show the impression of the movement. My favorite beads are definitely the drop beads. I use them very often and the different sizes and lengths give me possibility to express the texture of the project. I love to use all kinds of crystals. Certainly they give some feeling of brightness and happiness to all new projects. I love the piggy and O-beads. They give possibility to create beautiful flowers and to change the texture of the project.
For what kind of occasions can we wear your pieces? What’s the woman who wears your design like?
I think that you can wear my pieces for all kinds of occasions. I made very romantic necklaces and sometimes very modern pieces. My beading style is very romantic and full of happiness and surprises, waiting for those who would like to explore my jewelry more carefully watching many small details hidden amongst the different kinds of the beads, stones, crystals and the other elements. I am sure this is expressing my childish happiness which I try to keep inside of me.
Where does your inspiration come from? Do you have some rituals to boost your creative energy?
I find my inspiration in the nature all around me. I love watching colorful animals and the beautiful gardens full of amazing flowers or just a few rays of sun passing through the autumn leafs, almost getting ready to be picked up by the children and very romantic ladies during their walk in the forest. Many things boost my creative energy. I love this moment when I see the beautiful stone, cabochon or crystals in my hand and in one second I can see new project growing up from this few elements. I always try to memorize quickly the first vision of my new project because the next ideas are already waiting for the new space in my head and on my beading table.
Do you have a piece of jewelry you made, that is somehow special to you?
I love many of my jewelry pieces but my favorite ones are the Royal Beetle and my BOTB15 “Emilie” necklace. Shibori ribbon gives me the possibility to show the movement of the animal body and the beauty of their shapes. I love also the Tensha bead lady pendant too. I tried to show the possibility of changing the texture by using different kinds of beads.
If you could design something for a well-known person or maybe a fictional character from a film or book, who would it be, and why?
It would be Angelina Jolie. I love her strong and romantic character.
What kind of clothes and accessories do you wear? Who are your favorite designers and why?
I would like to wear Valentino clothes and accessories. They are so romantic. … But in my real life I wear very simple clothes.
What is your goal in the future? Where would you like to see your brand?
I have many creative goals for my future. I would like to learn new beading techniques and more often create bigger projects. It will let me introduce new materials, beads and textures. As an organic chemist, I would like to use some day my chemical experience in my future beading projects. The chemical molecules can be the perfect inspirations also and the beads mimic perfectly the chemical atoms. I would like to make my brand more known and visible.
Where can we see and buy your designs?
You can see and buy my designs on my Etsy page: www.etsy.com/shop/MaewaDesign.
Thank you very much for answering my questions, Ewa!
Jewelry inspired by your knowledge as a chemist sounds really exciting, I am looking forward to see your new projects 🙂
Tell Ewa Machnik in a comment, how do you like her art!
And what do you think about the new series “Face to face!”
Whould you like to tell us more about your art and be featured in one of the upcoming interviews?
Don’t hesitate and drop me a line here 🙂
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