Maggie Meister began beading after “coveting” a pair of earrings worn by her son’s kindergarten teacher. When she learned that the teacher had made them after taking a class, Maggie signed up for a bead class and never looked back. She spent the next four years in the Seattle area, studying with the wonderful teachers at Beads & Beyond in Bellevue, Washington and then began teaching and working at the shop. Two pieces of her work were selected for Absolutely Beads in 1997.
A move to Naples, Italy in 1998 changed her life forever and in ways she never could have imagined. The rich, lively culture of the Neapolitan people and the ancient mosaics, frescoes, and jewelry designs from Pompeii and the Vesuvius area are a major source of inspiration for her designs. In addition, she has studied at the Mosaic Art School in Ravenna, Italy under Luciana Notturni and learned the ancient traditional methods of creating mosaics. This has added to her ability to create beadwork translated from the designs of frescoes and mosaics seen on the floors and walls of abbeys, monasteries and ruins. Sculptural reflections from the images she loves are translated into jewelry using seed beads with a variety of stitches.
Maggie has taught and continues to teach workshops nationally and internationally in Turkey, Germany and Italy. Her work has been shown in Milan and Naples and has been featured in Beadwork Magazine, Bead & Button Magazine along with others. She has recently completed a book with Lark Publishing. Classical Elegance is part of the Masters Beadweaving Series and will be released in August 2011.
Maggie’s classes are suitable for intermediate to advanced students who are proficient in one or more seed bead stitches. You may view the class projects inthe store, on our website www.studiobaboo.com or on Maggie’s website www.mmmbeads.com.