Marissa Newman

Marissa Newman

Fire Mountain Gems and Beads' Jewelry-Making Contest 2010 featuring Pearls, Organic Beads or Kato Polyclay™

Finalist

Meet the Designer-Artist


Where do you live?
New Pine Creek, Oregon

Describe your artistic style.
I have an eclectic style.

What inspires you as a designer-artist?
I am inspired by fashion for the most part, but I love nature and find a lot of my color palettes reflect that.

What materials do you most enjoy working with?
Pearls, polymer clay, wire and natural gemstones.

What is the name of the piece you submitted with your success story?
A Vision in White

What inspired this design?
A beautifully sleek bridal gown that I viewed on the cover of Bride magazine while waiting in the checkout at the grocery store.

How did it come together? For example, did you plan it out or did it define itself once you began working?
The décolleté of the gown left a large exposed area for me to embellish. I wanted to enhance the bust line of the model, so I created my piece in a linear design to achieve that. Since each pearl was hand woven, it gradually became more in order for the piece to maintain balance.

Share Your Background


When and how did you begin making jewelry/beading?
I have been creating jewelry for over 10 years. It started out as a hobby and within 2 years time it turned into a part time business.

Who introduced you to beading?
My youngest daughter drew it to my attention when she asked me if I would help her learn to bead. I was hooked.

Do you have an artistic background?
Yes. I have a background in floral design.

How did you discover Fire Mountain Gems and Beads®?
Online search engine.

What other hobbies do you have?
I work with stained glass.

Beading Success


What role does jewelry-making play in your life?
My part time career has now turned into a full-time career. I have never felt so satisfied in my whole life. What could be better? I make a living doing what I love.

If you used jewelry-making as a way to bring in income, how are you selling yourself and your jewelry?
I sell at craft shows, home parties, direct sales and on my website: www.be-jeweled.net and etsy.

Do you participate in any charity fundraisers?
Yes. I just donated 3 pieces to an art auction. All proceeds went to aid the people of Haiti.

Any advice for aspiring jewelry-artists?
Don't be afraid to incorporate many techniques into one design.