We had the good fortune of connecting with Melanie Maria Scott and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melanie Maria, how do you think about risk?
Taking risks has pushed me to achieve more success than I could have ever imagined of myself & my artisan jewelry works. I experimented putting my work out there in NYC on Time Square billboards, entering into gallery shows in Brooklyn, Miami & Paris in 2012 which helped my brand get established on a global level. My family didn’t support the idea that my artisan jewelry works would be a success. It was a hobby to them. I kept believing in myself & putting myself out there. Exact replicas of my designs in Europe started to get shared across & soon blasted all over Pinterest. Someone decided to make a “Swan Wing” design tutorial even in another language in Eastern Europe. The “Swan Wing” was one of my first beadwork creations I put for sale on Etsy. This was the first I realized I had the attention of a global market.

I then decided to take my artisan works further to a more glamorous level and start creating my pieces with high grade metal materials manufactured only in America! This was the start of a whole new luxury Maui Swan accessory line & living dream! Now I dream to establish more of a luxurious courture line to match my accessories. I will be release my new line this fall!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I strive to come up with the most high end, glamorous seed bead fringe jewelry designs. All my ideas are original. I have been making this style of beadwork for over 13 years and each piece is a prayerful & meditative practice for me.
I am excited to launch my latest line in Miami this July during Miami Swim Week. Also in the fall I will be debuting a sister company to Maui Swan Designs in Miami called The Miami Swan so stay tuned!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am so grateful for all of the artists and designers I have been collaborating with that keep sharing, supporting and inspiring my art. Also to all of the people who have purchased my artisan works and the community of Maui Hawaii for being so supportive and inspirational in the creation of my artisan jewelry designs! Living on an island for 16 years has a lot of limitations but the community here is vastly creative and deeply spiritual in different ways. Being isolated here has helped me nurture myself, my focus to find success and sustainability in tough times. Most importantly I’ve had a great amount of encouragement and support in my life over the last couple years from a very creative lover & friend named Michael. The way he that has helped push on my confidence, individuality and my strength has helped me believe in endless possibilities for myself. Without all of his kindness, creative ideas and generosity I’m not sure I would be as successful and inspired as I have become today. I would have legit been a starving artist. I cannot give enough thanks to him for the way he supported and nurtured my life!

Website: mauiswan.com

Instagram: @mauiswan

Twitter: @maria_melanie

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/swandesignsmaui

Image Credits
Brittany Baker Photography, Rolland and Jessica Photography, Flying Solo NYC, Nanea Viggers (Model), Kyani Bateman (Model), Patty Lee (Model), Rose Millard (Model), Anastasia Machekhina (Model), Kiyonte Carter (Model), Selene Serra (Model), Yubehandmade Crochet Bikinis

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