Breaking News: Lena Bugrimenko is one of our Tucson 2012 Instructors! Discover Lena’s chainmaille and beading classes here: Lena Bugrimenko Course Listings

If you love chain maille then you’ll enjoy patterns and classes with Wire-Sculpture Faculty, chain maille artist Lena Bugrimenko!

I was born in the wonderful city of Kharkov, Ukraine. Like any girl, I loved jewelry- not only wearing it, but even holding jewelry made me happy.  (Back then, I had no idea that one day I would make jewelry myself!) I graduated from the Polytechnic University, majoring in chemical engineering, and began working in my field.

In 1999, my life changed a lot! My husband, daughter and I moved to the USA. It was a new start and a new life, so I decided to do something new too.  I began making my own jewelry!

In the beginning, I made jewelry using seed beads; beautiful, yes, but it wasn’t enough. Then I discovered the art of making Chain Maille, and now it is one of my favorite techniques. I love combining this technique with beads, gems, and wire. Sometimes the result is unexpected and very beautiful, and a unique, new design is created!

In 2009 I won the 1st Place Gold Medal award with my piece titled “Glorious Summer Necklace” in FMG’s Swarovski category. In 2010 I took the Bronze Medal award with my piece titled “Wedding Necklace” in FMG’s wirework and chain category. My designs have been used by Fire Mountain Gems both as a back cover advertisement and in their catalogs.

I have been published in a book, Mixed Media Jewelry Techniques, a collaboration with Lana May, Dale “Cougar” Armstrong, and eight other talented jewelry artists.

Lena and her family enjoy living in southern New Hampshire. She can often be found teaching at the JOGS show in Tucson. You can see her latest creations on her website, Sparkling Fantasy.

Mint Schlief is a native Virginian and has lived there for most of her life. She is a graduate of Stuart Hall School for Girls in Staunton, Virginia and attended Westhampton College in Richmond. Mint also took design and sewing classes at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV. Professionally, she is a high-end kitchen and bathroom designer who currently works with Custom Kitchens, Inc., (Richmond, VA), as she has for 34 years.

Although Mint’s journey into wire-jewelry artistry actually began in 2007, she can trace the original source way back! After she met and married her wonderful and supportive husband, Dean in 1977, they visited Mint’s grandson in Italy. While touring Venice, she purchased several Murano pendants, which the locals wore on strands of seed beads twisted into a rope necklace. However none of these were long enough for her neck, and being the crafter that she is, Mint decided to make her own! To pursue this venture she paid a visit to ‘More Than Just Beads’ in Williamsburg to purchase the necessary seed beads.  While there, Mint saw her first piece of wire jewelry; a framed cabochon pendant that was a project taught by the shop owner, Sande Hubbard.

Mint says, “I was fascinated and signed up for her next class. I then attended Bead Fest Wire in Wilmington, Delaware and took every class that Dale “Cougar” Armstrong offered.

“No, I have never finished the necklace for the glass pendants, as wire has consumed my life! And being much too prolific, I have started Mint Spring’s Designs LLC, and I participate in juried Fine Art shows whenever possible. I have been nationally published twice, thanks to my friend and mentor “Cougar.”  Without Sande, “Cougar,” and my beloved husband Dean, none of this would have been possible.”

Mint Schlief and her husband Dean reside in rural Virginia.

While on a business trip with her husband, Sonja discovered an article written by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong in Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry Magazine. The article intrigued her so much that she contacted Dale and began taking classes at ‘Cougars Creations’ studio.

Sonja has a Master’s Degree in Studio Art and presently teaches art at the middle school level. She has previously exhibited and worked in a variety of art media including watercolor, pencil, and photography. Before venturing into the world of wire, she had previously exhibited and sold jewelry made from wood and oven baked clay. Sonja now admits that making and creating her own wire jewelry designs is her favorite artistic endeavor, as she loves taking an idea or inspiration and forming it into a piece of wearable art. She credits her love of creating wire jewelry to the teaching and encouragement from Dale.

Sonja has recently published her first wire jewelry pattern in Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry, and also has a design featured in Dale’s new Book “Wirework.” Sonja resides in eastern Kentucky with her husband and their son.