Exploring Life & Business with Maggie Stewart of Mama’s Belly

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Maggie Stewart.

Hi Maggie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My artistic background started with theatre, in front of the curtain and behind. This is where I developed my creative confidence and fell in love with my right-brain outlook on the world. I performed as well as painted scenery, created props, and even designed a set! I kept following what made me happy, creatively expressing myself every day. My goal became personal freedom, leading me to start my own unique company, Mama’s Belly. 25 years later, my company is still growing and succeeding.

I have taught for museums, art centers, and private schools along the way. I have over 35 years of teaching experience with all ages and learning abilities. My achievements have come from persistence. I always listen to cues in my life and follow them with creativity. I experiment and play constantly. I do all of this for myself, and it works. I have a beautiful home, a wonderful, supportive husband, and a life that suits me perfectly!

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t tend to look back; it wastes energy. The greatest challenge for any artist, and certainly for me, is justifying your existence and value. I have proven that with time and perseverance. I don’t waste valuable artistic time or energy on nay-sayers, critics, or people who want to put me in a well-defined box. I know who I am, and that’s all I need.

As you know, we’re big fans of Mama’s Belly Inc. What can you tell our readers who might not be as familiar with the brand?
I am exceedingly proud that my company, Mama’s Belly, is 25 years old, and it came from listening. I create bronze bowls from the cast of a pregnant woman’s belly and tune them to ring like a Tibetan bowl. That sound is specific to each mother and child; no two are alike. I am very proud of my unique and original idea. I create sacred heirlooms that each customer participates in creating.

I send belly casting kits all over the world, and each client casts their belly and then sends it back to me to be customized to their specifications, and the result is a beautiful bronze vessel that is both functional and artistic. These bowls are 50/50 for mother and child. They celebrate the strength and beauty of pregnancy. They celebrate the ultimate vessel. This idea of mine has continued to grow and evolve; it took my husband clanging my first bronze bowl for me to realize the sound potential, and now that is my favorite aspect.

My goal is for someone to ring their Mama’s Belly bowl 200 years from now and say, “Oh, that is my great-great-great-grandmother!” My idea certainly hit barriers; people just didn’t get it. This is now a positive quality for me because it either resonates with you or doesn’t, creating a very organic filter system. I don’t spend any time persuading customers; there isn’t any point.

I knew I wanted to create sacred art that had permanence. Bronze was my answer; it could be cast perfectly without any distortion of the shape. This choice came from listening and putting together clues. I was raised in a home filled with Nambe, an amazing metal alloy created by the Nambe Native Americans in New Mexico. My family used and appreciated the beauty of its aging process as well as the functional and artistic side of it. Metal became the answer to my design.

When I first began, I cast clients myself, which limited my possibilities, so I created a belly casting kit that opened me up to everyone. I started casting the full pregnant figure because I got lost in its beauty. I realized this limited the heirloom quality I was trying to achieve. By focusing on the belly, I took away a modesty factor and created a perfect 50/50 portrait of pregnancy.

All these adjustments to my idea came from listening and patiently allowing it to flow through me and develop. It is very important to me that these bowls are signed by Mama’s Belly, not Maggie Stewart. I work with a crew of very talented people at my foundry who are at the core of my business. I have used a local Denver foundry, Joseph’s Artworks, for the life of my business and the skill level is incredible!

I couldn’t, in good conscience, sign my name for collaborative work. I have learned to listen and connect; small notions become big ideas, and I nurture them by experimenting in my studio and trusting my experience. I actively pursue the unknown by leaning into my uncertainty, and I thoroughly love this process!

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
The value of curiosity cannot be understated! Experimentation and curiosity keep your art and life growing and expanding! Listening to the clues is the key tool. Personal freedom is the goal.

I work in multiple mediums and continue to teach, both pursuits expose me to new ideas, solutions, and influences. I emphasize inspiration and motivation, play and investigate daily, and put my creative energy through that process the results and product are realized! It is not the other way around.

Pricing:

• All bronze bowls start at $1800 and go up depending on how much booze is used

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mamasbelly.com, and www.maggiestewart.com
• Instagram: @mamasbelly1
• Facebook: @Mama’s Belly Inc.
• Linkedin: @Maggie Stewart
• Youtube: @bronzebowls