Realizing it has not been shown here in a long time who is behind Formia Design!! Therefore when @metalmavens invited to a monthly challenge I thought I’d catch on!! #mmmonthofamaker Starting with day 1 called “Introduction” (never mind I’m 2 days late) I am Mia, and I started my days as a “creator/maker” already 33 years ago (only 16yrs old) in Sweden where I grew up. After 3 yrs in Goldsmith technical trade school I worked under a Goldsmith Master for 5 years and became a Master myself in 1996, that year I was told I was Sweden’s youngest female Goldsmith Master 💪🏼 My experience grew while working for one of the highly respected jewelers in Stockholm @ateljeguldbros And in 2000 it was time to start my own business and @formiadesign was formed (Swedish born just like me) A few years later LOVE brought me overseas to experience Charlottesville, VA. And although the move to USA was eminent my first born arrived in Sweden 2005 but my second daughter was born here in Charlottesville 2007. My passion of making jewelry has over the years grown into developing my own esthetics supported by my trades traditions and techniques to back me up. I would describe my work as, simple yet sophisticated, modern but timeless, bold through elegance and stands out as different! During my girls toddler years I created the idea of children’s art as jewelry and it exploded on national TV (the Today show 2010) and it created a small chaos in my home studio for a few years after a ripple effect through various worldwide media. This is still today a huge part of my work! I’m practicing everyday the balance between running my business “with wearing every hat of a one person business” and enjoying my family and all their activities 😅 (puh) It can definitely be a challenge at times but trying to remember to enjoy it… after all I’m living my dream of being on my own as a maker full time on my own payroll 🥰 Most recent only two weeks ago I moved from a shared studio space to my own studio/Store on the Down Town Mall in Charlottesville! OH boy it is still freakin weird to say that word “store” but it’s happening!! 😍 it has just started… (at Formia Design) https://www.instagram.com/p/CV1cpYtljyq/?utm_medium=tumblr
