Meet Maggie Meister - Interview #2 - Bead Artist / Art Jeweler / Beading Teacher / World Traveler

"I never thought I'd leave New Jersey," Maggie Meister says in our Interview #2. She not only left the Garden State, she traveled the world teeaching beading techniques in Europe and the US, and touring India with beading teacher Jayashree Paramesh. When Maggie lived in Italy for 4 years, she often spent10 hours a day in her beading studio. The views were spectacular, with Mount Vesuvius on one side, and the Mediterranean Sea on the other. Visits to archaeological museums enriched her imagination. She began re-interpreting ancient works of art, making beaded necklaces, earrings and bracelets that capture the essence of a magnificent past.
In Interview #1, Maggie and I talked about her love of:
--Ancient mosiacs
Caravaggio paintings
--Ancient architecture.
If you haven't seen Interview #1, here is a link:
• Meet Maggie Meister: M...
In Interview #2, Maggie and I talk about:
--Her experiences as a beading teacher in Europe and the US.
--Her love of ancient jewely designs, ancient frescos, and experiments in beading technique. Beautiful photos of her work and her world illustrate our conversation.
--Her travels in India. In 2021, she journeyed to Calcutta with her husband Ray for the wedding of her son Karl to Bhavika, his beloved. During the traditional henna ritual, talismanic designs were inscribed on the palms of her hands. Karl and Bhavika were henna-ed too. During the wedding ceremony itself, Maggie danced with all of the others in elegant Indian style.
--Her India tour in February, 2024 with Jayashree Paramesh, visting the Qutub Minar in Delhi, the Taj Mahal in Agra, a small-scale Bishnoi farming village near Jodhpur, and more. Maggie's photos are fantastic - and you'll see them all as you watch. Photos of her encounter with a snake charmer reveal how Maggie welcomes new experiences, new people, and new places.
Timestamps for Interview #2 coming soon.
In Interview #3, which will happen in August, Maggie and I will be hosting a LIVE Q & A. Stay tuned to this channel for updates.
In the summer of 2025, Maggie will be teaching a Master Class on how to incorporate architectural elements into your beading designs. The Master Class will take place in Nova Scotia, at Art's Haven, Samantha Norgard's new art center in Belliveau Cove. For more information, check out Sam's website:
norgarddesigns...
In case you haven't heard of Professor Sam Norgard, she initiated "Black and White Together," a large-scale beading project that is uniting 3000 small black and white warped squares into a portrait of Joyce J. Scott. An African American bead and performance artist, Joyce lives in Baltimore, MD.
A 50-year retrospective of Joyce's work premiered at the Baltimore Museum of Art in the spring of 2024, and continues on to the Seattle Museum of Art in the fall. The exhibition is entitled "Joyce J. Scott: Walk a Mile in My Dreams." Here's a link to the Seattle show:
www.seattleart...
And a link to the sumptuous catalog published for the show - I have it, love it, and recommend it:
search.worldca...
Based in Baltimore, MD. In 2016, Joyce received a MacArthur Grant for her contributions to the arts - and her efforts to raise awareness of the African American experience in a country where racism still thrives. Joyce has also received honorary doctorates from leading universities.
To learn more about "Black and White Together," visit this page on Sam Norgard's site:
norgarddesigns...
To learn more about bead artist Joyce J. Scott, just do a Google search for her name. There are many videos featuring her speaking and singing. Prepare to be amazed by her sparkling wit and her understanding of the human condition. Not just an American original, Joyce is a globally-oriented humanitarian.
Maggie's book on jewelry beading techniques belongs in every beader's library. Here is its page on OCLC/Worldcat:
Maggie Meister's Classical Elegance: 20 Beaded Jewelry Designs
search.worldca...
Jayashree Paramesh has published articles on beading in various journals , including Beadwork magazine.
Thank you for stopping by. Please come again soon.
If you like what I'm doing here, you could buy me a coffee! It will me work even harder!
Just click this link. Thank you so very much.
www.buymeacoff...
--Valerie
#beading #beadart #beadartist #diybeading #diybeadedjewelry #beadedjewelry #beadedjewelryinfluencer #beadedbracelet #calcutta #peyotestitch #brickstitch #seedbeads #beadnecklace #beadwork #beadedearring

[@angelinacroftdesigns]

Thank you for making these interviews - what a treat for other bead artists!

[@valeriehector]

@@angelinacroftdesigns You’re welcome, Angelina! My pleasure. Thank you for watching! I couldn’t do it without you and my other wonderful subscribers.

[@beadorigami]

Absolutely delightful interview. On top of being a phenomenal artist, Maggie has a wonderful energy that shines forth in everything she does. Thanks for this series Valerie, I can’t wait to see what’s next! ❤

[@valeriehector]

@@beadorigami Thank you, Cindy, I agree completely about Maggie. She is everything you say - and wonderful to work with. More awesome artists are coming up next - please keep stopping by!

[@suzannegolden8727]

This interview with Maggie is so informative..I absolutely love her bead work....so very authentic..I'm still trying to decide what piece of hers is my favorite..I do like her "Castellani Necklace" and can't believe she made it twice!!! Maggie is a special treasure!!

[@valeriehector]

Hi Suzanne! I'm so glad you liked this interview with Maggie! I love her bead work too - and working with her these past many weeks has been an enjoyable process. Yes - she made the Castellani necklace twice - for the same customer. I agree - Maggie is a really special treasure! Thanks for stopping by! See you soon!

[@maggiemeister2467]

Thanks Suzanne! I think you are a treasure.

[@janemclean4048]

Really beautiful pieces. I am inspired!

[@valeriehector]

Hi Jane, I agree! Maggie is really talented - and her designs are really inspiring!

[@smitasangani7274]

Thank you for a beautiful interview and tons of inspiration, looking forward to your youtube channel and Master class.

[@valeriehector]

Hi, Smitasangani7274, I'm so glad you liked my second interview with Maggie Meister. She's an amazing artist and person - and I'm sure her KZbin channel will be highly successful! At the end of August, I'll be hosting Maggie for a LIVE Q & A here on my channel - exact date and time TBA. Everyone is welcome to come. More asap.

[@Becca21741]

This is a lovely interview. Thank you both! Not only am I inspired by the pieces and the beadwork , I’m also interested in the color choices that Maggie used in her work. Really beautiful, with the colors as intrinsic to the pieces as the beadwork.

[@valeriehector]

hi Becca! Thank you for liking our interview. Maggie's work is impressive for sure. Now that you mention her color choices, I see what you mean - the colors are as intrinsic to the beauty of each piece as the piece's design. Maggie is so talented - and easy to work with!

[@ViolettaPretorius]

Thank you so much for this wonderful interview! Maggie is such an inspiration and I loved learning about her bead journey!

[@valeriehector]

Hi Violetta! Thanks for stopping by and watching Maggie's interview - yes, she's a total inspiration and her bead journey is marvelous! She's a joy to work with in every way. I know your name from my interviews with Suzanne Golden - we both think your designs are amazing!

[@ViolettaPretorius]

@@valeriehector oh my goodness Valerie! My heart skipped a beat hearing that! Both you and Suzanne are my heroes so am just thrilled to bits!

[@janemclean4048]

Let me know when retreat in Nova Scotia gets finalized!

[@valeriehector]

Hi Jane, I might not remember to let you know - but you can keep checking the "Art's Haven" page of Samantha Norgard's website for updates here - norgarddesigns.com/collections/arts-haven. Since Maggie's Master Class won't take place until the summer of 2025, it might be quite a few months before Sam announces Maggie's class. At any rate, I'm with you - what a fantastic opportinity to learn from Maggie herself, in person!