Fashion – New York - NYC
My name is Maria Bieg and I started sculpting wood over 2 years ago. Growing up I was known as the book worm, the person in the family that was the non creative type. I got my Masters in Public Administration and set out to change the world one nonprofit at time. I worked for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Habitat for Humanity and JDRF, each of which holds a special place in my heart. However, I wasn\'t completely satisfied with my work, something was missing. My husband encouraged me to try a creative outlet. I had no idea what this meant...how could I the \"book worm,\" possible do anything creative? I procrastinated long enough until eventually my husband made a suggestion to try either glass blowing or a wood sculpting. It was an easy decision since my dad is a contractor and I\'ve been around wood my entire life. I took a beginners class at 3rd Ward and eventually moved on to more advanced classes: free form, relief, faces, and chip carving. Eventually, because I LOVE jewelry and I have a small studio in NYC, I decided it would be amazing to incorporate what I\'ve learned and sculpt wood into designer jewelry. Turns out, sculpting was the best decision I\'ve ever made as it lead me to my true passion.