Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Maria aka Maui Swan.
Hi Melanie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Aloha, I am an artisan, jeweler & graphic designer that specializes in fine art production, painting, color correction work & giclee printing. I started making high end gemstone, glass & fringe statement jewelry in 2007 for healing and my love for rejuvenating through meditation, gemstones and alchemical metals. This creative blessing has completely changed my life! I moved to Maui, Hawaii from Jacksonville, FL 15 years ago. My passions & lifestyle led me to Maui Hawaii, which helped cultivate my artistic path. The natural beauty of The Island of Maui and its people inspired me to dive into this passion I have for creating colorful, tactile, delicate, high-end artisan jewelry.
I know my work is very unique and delicate. The quality is so high end it definitely stands out from others. My first time getting recognized for my jewelry works was in 2011. Images of my works were in gallery shows in Miami, Paris & NY in 2012, even on billboards in Times Square in 2012! I have created quite a following on Pinterest (MAUISWAN) over the last 11 years and there was even a trend of tutorials being made on Pinterest in 2013 in European countries of “How To Make Maui Swan Designs Wing Earrings.” My original design flooded Pinterest, many people started getting inspired by me and copying me, and some leaked onto Etsy in shops as listings named after me. I was actually really amazed how fast low-end copies of my work spread out, and how they actually still are being replicated. In 2015, I was having over 180k shares of my Etsy Shop listings (Maui Swan Designs) shared on Pinterest!
I believe what sets me most apart from others is my knowledge and respect for visual arts and color combinations. My work is ultimately inspired by my meditations, prayers and spiritual path. This work has ultimately healed me in so many different ways. I also love painting & drawing. This was my first love in the art realm & I have won many awards for my paintings, drawings and sculptures throughout my life.
I am now establishing my artisan jewelry line more in Florida so that I can move back & be closer to my family. This past July was my first experience taking my jewelry designs onto the runway at Miami Swim Week through Flying Solo NYC. I have had a lot of great feedback & encouragement from many influencers to take my designs to a global level. I want to continue to establish myself more in the fashion industry in Miami and get my works into unusual & trendy boutiques & participate in more events!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being an artist and becoming successful can be very challenging. I switched my interests for what was working towards establishing my career here in Florida. It was very difficult 15 years ago to stand out of the crowd as a Graphic Designer. Even with a BFA, I was not receiving a wage that felt enough for the level of skills & vision I have. I then tried switching my career to pursue an education in Art Therapy, specifically Dance and Movement therapy. I received a lot of hype trying to convince everyone this was not a hobby for me. It is my way of life. I went to Yoga teacher training, then yoga therapy school, but most things I did for work didn’t make me feel as good as making jewelry.
My path with learning yoga & bodywork has helped me establish a healthy life and assisted me in focusing better on my goals. I have stayed very driven and dedicated to my art, pushing myself to keep learning and encouraging myself to try new ideas. I experimented a lot, adding high-end materials to my designs to stand out from everyone else. I wanted to create a more valuable line of delicate seed bead jewelry, to be cherished by people, adored and desired. So this is a therapeutic aspect of being a designer for me, it evokes me to never give up on my dreams. Ultimately life tested me in every way to be dedicated to dreaming into reality something that takes care of my financial needs that I loved to do. Jewelry adornment makes people feel good and I love being able to create sensual pieces that make others feel good and confident about themselves.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I make very glamorous statement jewelry pieces, delicate, sensual, long fringe jewelry with the tiniest glass seed beads, gemstones and high-end metal materials I can find! I am soon releasing my spring 2023 line this October! The first show will be available for pre-order at the biannual Maui Style wholesale convention at Maui Beach Hotel October 4 – 5 & then October 8 – 9 at LA Fashion Week with The Model Experience!! Seasonally I will be releasing the hottest, longest and most lightweight golden fringe delicate jewelry you will find! Seeing and touching in person is necessary for you to really know how high end my creations are and how good it feels. These are cherished pieces made to be passed down generations!
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Currently, my work is encouraging me to travel to reach other countries for sales events and fashion shows. I will be traveling much more off the island of Maui for fashion & runway shows, branching out to the areas that influence and inspire me the most. The requests are globally coming in for the remainder of this year and next. I feel so completely grateful and honored that my work is reaching out in so many directions for over a decade. I speculate the changes that can occur are limitless, considering my passion to continue to develop new ideas and creations in seed bead and fringe jewelry. I would love to set up a home base and production studio with a showroom in Miami or Southern Florida where I will continue to develop my accessory line & release new trends into the fashion industry… never been seen before exciting lines of handmade high-end products!! I also would love to get involved more in vending on tour at epic events and traveling around the southern parts of the United States, experiencing life and mystical experiences in new places.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mauiswan.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mauiswan/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swandesignsmaui
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/maria_melanie
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/mauiswan
Image Credits
LA Images.net: Lisa Acierno, Flying Solo: Mariya, Nicole Rolland and Jessica: Maui Weddings & Portraits, Crochet Bikinis: Yubehandmade, Bikinis: Ko Swim Hawaii
