Read Rebeca's Artist Statement

Vanessa Walilko Weaver and Instructor Vanessa has been fiddling with her fingers since she was a kid, starting at the age of three with her first Lego kit. At the age of nine, she took a beaded jewelry class and her life was forever changed. She has been making beaded jewelry ever since, and launched Gianessa Designs in order to sell her own jewelry. She is a 2008 Gold Medal winner of the 2008 Fire Mountain Gems and Beads Annual Beading Contest, and two of her earlier designs were chosen as finalists in 2005 and 2007. Jewelry is Vanessa's life: she works as a production assistant for another Chicago jeweler when she is not crafting maille or her own beaded designs. She has been with Blue Buddha Boutique since May 2006. Contact Vanessa at vanessa@bluebuddhaboutique.com.

Alyse Keefe Inventory Manager Alyse joined the Boutique in July 2007 and is responsible for overseeing many of the day-to-day procedures in the workshop. Her knack for efficiency and desire to organize everything in sight have been eagerly welcomed. In her first few months, Alyse learned much more about maille than she knew existed, and created several stainless steel and copper pieces. Her main hobbies outside of chainmaille involve building and riding freakbikes. She aspires to be a tattoo artist someday, and is developing a drawing portfolio.

Dawn Fromel Inventory Assistant and Weaver Dawn discovered maille in the spring of 2007 and was instantly hooked. She began an internship with Blue Buddha shortly thereafter, and by the fall began working part-time doing piecework and quality control. If you've purchased a ring pack or kit from us, chances are Dawn was the one who bagged it. She is a crucial part of keeping our inventory well-stocked, easily bagging tens of thousands of rings each week. Dawn is an avid beader, devoted mother and animal lover.

Kathy (Kat) Wisniewski Inventory Assistant and Weaver Kat has been making jewelry since she first beaded bracelets on a seed bead loom at age 13. She is an entirely self-taught jewelry artist with a wide range of design techniques. In 2005 she officially started her small home-based jewelry business and website under the name Elemental Art Jewelry and has since sold her work mostly at various local craft shows throughout the summers. Currently she has a few pieces for sale at Unique So Chique and Caravan Beads in Chicago. Kat's main focus is chainmaille and wire designs using sterling, copper, semi-precious stones and glass beads.

Alison Carpenter Guest Contributor Alison Carpenter has been interested in little amounts of metal since high school and she enjoys creating amazing dreamcatchers and jewelry from chainmaille. All the designs used in her dreamcatchers and jewelry are uniquely hers. Alison has also been doing beadwork since the 1990's and employs Swarovski crystal beads and other findings in most of her chainmaille designs. A native of Britain, she emigrated to Michigan, USA, in May of 2006. Besides weaving, Alison enjoys other crafts like knitting, sewing, writing calligraphy and spending time with her children and husband (who is also a chainmaille artisan).

"One must be a work of art, or wear a work of art."
--Oscar Wilde

• Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum
• AIDS/Lifecycle
• Airsources (proceeds benefit Pulmonary Fibrosis research)
• Chiaravalle Montessori School
• Gan Shalom Early Childhood Education Center
• Lillstreet Art Center
• Parker For Adults: Day and Evening Courses
• SHAC 7