Inspiring Woman: Jewelry Designer Mia van Beek

Welcome to Inspiring Woman, a semi-monthly column that features amazing and inspiring women.  These women are moms, community leaders, entrepreneurs, or everyday heroes‚ each is making her corner of the world a better place.

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I’m delighted to introduce you to Mia van Beek of Formia Designs.

Mia’s favorite thing about designing jewelry? The personal connection. She doesn’t create a huge array of pieces, but the ones she does bend and cut by hand are made especially for each client.

Perhaps you’ve seen Mia’s jewelry before on her popular Etsy jewelry store; or if you live in Charlottesville, you might have worked with her to create a custom design for a special occasion at The Jeweler’s Eye on the Downtown Mall.The Making of an Award-Winning Jewelry Designer:

Mia is from Sweden and still maintains Swedish citizenship. Mia’s husband hails from Charlottesville (at least since he was 8 years old–that counts as a Townie, right). They met at a wedding in New York–so romantic! After they blossomed in their relationship, they got married.

But there was a slight complication due to residency. Her husband was still technically a citizen of Holland, and she was Swedish.  At that rate, she was told it would take her five years to gain a green card for the U.S. Five years separated as newlyweds–can you imagine? Instead, her husband gained U.S. citizenship, and so they spent their first two years of marriage apart until she could gain her green card.

Mia moved to Charlottesville to join her husband in September 2005, but let’s go back to how she developed her craft and skill.

Mia began her training as a jeweler in Sweden through an occupational training program (the equivalent of American high school years). In three years of jewelry school, she worked with brass, silver, then gold, then earned her journeyman diploma followed by an apprenticeship. After working a couple of years, Mia applied to become a master goldsmith. She became Sweden’s youngest female goldsmith master in 1996 (with much celebrated recognition).

Afterward, she pursued work for eight years in Stockholm and managed a jewelry studio, and she was very involved throughout the jewelry store. Through this experience, Mia was inspired to start her own business.

Just when she got it launched and on its feet, she met her husband. The two-year time apart allowed her to continue to build her business. During this time, at the Stockholm Jewelry Trade show, she was awarded the prestigious New Designer of the Year Award in 2004.

Inspiration:

Mia said, “I always have so many ideas in my head that never get into my hands. The creative concepts are there constantly, especially in the middle of the night, but if I don’t have pen and paper handy, I sometimes lose them. I’m constantly thinking about them and re-working them.”

Her kids inspire her. In fact, it was her daughter’s drawings that inspired her to keep their creations in the limelight instead of tucked away unseen in a drawer the “child’s drawing into a key chain” concept.

Mia is also inspired by what she would love to wear around her neck or fingers for a date night with her husband or a fun girls’ night out.
Child’s drawing on jewelry:

Mia chose to work with titanium because it’s lightweight yet sturdy and hard and relatively less expensive than other metals, unlike silver that’s heavy and softer–more malleable, and more expensive.

Titanium is only used for the key chain since they require more durable and lightweight metal.  For the pendants, charms, and brooches, Mia uses sterling silver.

Finding balance as a working mom:

Her two daughters, ages 3 and 5, help her make jewelry. She lets them try out tools, and their favorite game is playing “jewelry store”. In the scrap bucket, they’re allowed freedom to create, bend, and file their own pieces.

According to Mia, she finds balance because “I enjoy my work as much as the kids. Rarely do I feel guilty about not spending time with the kids when creating jewelry and vice-versa.”

Note: At present, Mia works from home.

She recalls, “A happy mom is usually a mom that gets mommytime…if something drives me, then I become a better mom.”

She works best when she has unlimited focused time to design and create jewelry, but as a parent, time is curtailed to a schedule where she has to start-stop work to complete a project throughout the week.

The Best:

What Mia loves about designing and creating jewelry is the close interaction with a client from start to finish, especially when turning a child’s drawing into a lasting and metallic art form. Sometimes clients ask her to engrave a child’s name and date on the back of a key chain or pendant. Often one child’s drawing-inspired key chain isn’t enough, and parents return to order more for grandparents.

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This month, I know we’re celebrating motherhood, but when I had the opportunity to receive a customized key chain from Formia Design, I asked Calvin to draw a picture for his daddy.

He enthusiastically whipped up a drawing of a dinosaur complete with a belly, tail, and hair on his head, and dinosaur feet.  True to form, Mia turned my two year-old’s heartfelt drawing into a really cool key chain.

He presented it to his dad recently (so I could tell you about it before Father’s Day).  I kid you not, it is my husband’s most beloved and cherished gift to date.

On the back, Mia engraved “dinosaur” since that was Calvin’s self proclaimed title (just in case it wasn’t completely obvious).

It was such a pleasure to work with Mia throughout the process.  I just submitted a scanned image of the drawing (she’d accept a photograph, too).  She asked for clarification on some of the drawing aspects that weren’t obvious, and she also provided recommendations for where to create a loop to add the key chain ring.

Calvin was so thrilled with the final product, and he was so proud to present his dinosaur drawing-into-a-key chain to his daddy!

Ordering a personalized child’s drawing into a titanium key chain is $59, a a silver pendant or charm is $95.  For guaranteed delivery by Father’s Day, orders need to be submitted by June 9th.