Today we’d like to introduce you to Maddalena Bearzi.
Hi Maddalena, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have been fascinated with animals, and wildlife in general, since I was a young girl. I followed my wildest dreams and became a field marine biologist and a conservation advocate for whales and dolphins. As a scientist, I hold a Ph.D. in Biology and a postdoc in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles, and I am the co-founder and President of the nonprofit Ocean Conservation Society. I have studied marine animals in the wild for over 30 years and published two books on nature. I also work as a photojournalist for several publications, including the National Geographic. I’ve always felt the need, though, to use my “other side” of the brain and express my passion for nature and my creativity in other ways. My imagination found expression first in drawings and later on in jewelry making. I started to handcraft textile jewelry joining upcycled metals, vintage pieces, and stones found during my travels around the world. Afterward, I briefly studied metalsmithing at the University of California, Los Angeles, and learned techniques from master silversmith Gordon Wainwright and jewelry artist Harold O’Connor. That’s when I truly fell in love with metals and started “playing” with them. I love to incorporate silver, bronze, brass, and copper by using innovative metalsmithing techniques to create one-off, organic shapes, textures, and unusual color tones. Gradually, this hobby developed into a real business.
All my jewelry pieces, of course, are inspired by my job as a marine biologist and the natural world around me, and I try to use materials and methods – such as reclaimed metals and upcycled components – that attempt to avoid depleting the Earth’s resources.
I was born in Italy, so each piece always bears a distinctive Italian name (in addition to its own nature-inspired “story”). My artisan jewelry collections include rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and many unisex designs that accommodate a range of personal styles and budgets.
The theme of my latest collection “incendio” (meaning wildfire) reflects the severe and uncontrolled wildfires and their devastating impact on our ecosystem. This flame-inspired jewelry is a reminder of how climate change is fueling fires in the West and a reminder that we are destroying our Planet.
My collections are now sold in art galleries and exclusive shops in the US, Japan, Italy, and my online shop at www.maddalenabearzi.com. Currently, some of my pieces are on the set of the new movie “And Just Like That” (the Sex & the City reboot).
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say smooth… I run most aspects of my eponymous jewelry company; I also work at Ocean Conservation Society and I have a new book coming out soon. Somehow, though, things seem to work out OK.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
What I love about jewelry-making is the entire process. I observe something in nature, both on land or out on the ocean, I draw a sketch, and then I go back to my jewelry workshop with the desire to start a new piece inspired by what I’ve just seen outside. It can be anything: a diving whale, a falling leaf, a rock formation, a plant, a burned branch, the grass of a neighbor! Nature, for me, is an endless source of inspiration. In my workshop, I use a variety of tools and materials to handcraft my pieces. I like to adopt innovative techniques and I am not afraid of making mistakes. Mistakes, at times, produce the most original pieces!
I am mostly known for the originality of my handmade, organic-looking jewelry inspired by nature. And I am proud of donating part of the revenue from my jewelry business to good environmental causes that need support.
I believe that what sets me apart from others is my background as a field biologist; my work as a scientist highly influences my work at the jewelry bench.
Any big plans?
Regarding my jewelry business, I am planning to launch a new collection inspired by nature in Spring 2022. As always, I will donate part of the revenue to a good cause for the protection of the environment. As an author and a marine biologist, I will continue to work for the conservation of whales, dolphins, and the oceans, with the hope that others can be more involved in saving the only planet we have.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.maddalenabearzi.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddalenabearzi/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maddalenabearzijewelry/
Image Credits
©2021maddalenabearzi
