.  "To recognize one single shape inside an already created world sounds simple but never easy"

•           Education and experience
• 1988-1991 Jewelry school in Sweden, Dackeskolan in Mjolby.
• 1992 Journeyman diploma
• 1996 Goldsmith Master Degree
• 1997 Degree in design at collage of arts in Linkoping
• 2001 Set up my own business Formia Design in Stockholm, Sweden
• 2004 Received Best new designer of the year award at Stockholm jewelry show
• 2004 Established Formia Design LLC in Virginia, USA 

Swedish born, goldsmith, designer, and a mother of two.

As a designer and certified goldsmith I do all kinds of jewelry work in gold, silver and platinum, I fabricate my own designed “one of a  kind” jewelry by hand (there is never more than one of the same piece) as well as custom designing and reconstructing pieces by using a lot of times clients inherited jewels.

My business has recently gotten new glow of an idea that I came up with just trying to figure out what gift to give to our daughter’s wonderful preschool teacher, jewelry is never far away but I wanted my daughter to be a part of it too!

I now let your children be the designers by using their own unique drawing.  I reconstruct it into a piece of jewelry that lives on much longer then the paper on the refrigerator. They can be made as a silver or gold as necklace, earrings, and charms etc. but also as key chain in durable titanium. This has any father or grandfather to be proud of carrying around

Jewelry is something I have been doing since I finished 3 years of jewelry school in Sweden 1991. Received journeyman diploma followed by Master Degree 1995. I became then Sweden’s youngest woman with Master degree in jewelry at that time.

There after followed years of employment as studio manager of a store in the heart of Stockholm and additional educations in economics, computer and design.

I started my own business Formia design in Stockholm Sweden 2001, just weeks before I went to a friend’s wedding in New York.  There I ended up meeting my future husband he himself born in the Netherlands.

After a few years of traveling back and forward for months at a time we decided to get married 2003 and for me to move to Charlottesville, but that didn’t American immigration agree on. You see my husband was not yet an American citizen so in order to get me here he had to be naturalized first, that took 2 years!

During that time I focused on work: Designing and making jewelry and part time Jewelry store manager, had jewelry exhibits and received an award for The Best New Designer of the year at Stockholm jewelry show 2004

Today creating and designing is a huge part of my life, as any Mother out there I am still working on getting my work/business in perfect harmony with raising 2 small children. I am everyday learning new things in my second language and new ways of how to run my business; I am excited to see what the future has in store for Formia design in Usa and now recently with help of Internet all around the world!

Yours Sincerely,

 Mia van Beek