Marisa Convento

Venetian Dreams

Beadworker

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Committed to Venetian beadwork

Marisa is a Venetian impiraressa, a bead stringer
She is a passionate and tenacious craftswoman
Her workshop Venetian Dreams opened in 2007

Working with Venetian glass pearls and beads has been a dream pursued with passion and stubbornness by Marisa Convento. Born in Mirano and having grown up in Marghera, in the countryside, as she says, she moved to Venice at the age of 20, falling in love with its art, culture and artisanal traditions. At the time there was a culture of keeping craftsmanship techniques secret, by the silence of the old masters. Despite these obstacles, Marisa managed to learn and re-create the techniques of the impiraresse (bead stringers). She opened her workshop, currently housed in Bottega Cini, a museum-gallery and concept store that brings together the excellence of Venetian artistic mastery. Marisa has also been engaged in the preservation of the art of glass beads, inscribed in 2020 on the Representative List of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Interview

How did you come to this craft?
Living in Venice, I became passionate about all the local traditions, particularly the world of glass. I started collecting ancient and modern Venetian pearls, getting curious about both the manufacturing techniques and the way to use glass pearls and beads to create something I could wear.
So are you self-taught?
Around the mid-1990s, it was difficult to find people open to sharing their savoir faire and to obtain materials in Venice. I began studying ancient pieces and found some in the flea markets. Eventually I found an old Venetian craftswoman…
When did the turning point come for you?
This master taught me the basics to create flowers, thread conteria, the tiny Venetian glass seedbeads, with a metal wire. I have learned the other techniques through books, American magazines and new Venetian contacts. I was 46 when I opened my workshop. I still learn every day, a craftsperson never stops learning.
What are your sources of inspiration?
Nature first, but also my life in Venice, that offer great insights into art and history. In Venetian glass you can find centuries of craftsmanship, concentrated even in the smallest bead. Sometimes I start from a colour: a particular shade can become the first word of a story to be told.

Marisa Convento is a master artisan: she began her career in 2000 and she started teaching in 2016