About Me

For two decades, as Susan Storm,  I was a widely published photographer and journalist, working in some of the world’s most wonderful places. I travelled in dugouts, bemos, limousines, charter planes, helicopters, hot air balloons, rickshaws and private yachts. I ate buffalo bladder, snake, dog, locusts, in palaces, tents, riads, castles, haveli and grubby dives. I danced with Mugabe and breakfasted with Tutu.

My interest in beads and ethnic jewelry began after a trip to rural India where I photographed women in their tribal finery – my favourite image being the woman who features on this site. Shortly after, in Africa, I exchanged a fistful of dollars for a sack of silver belonging to an Ethiopian woman who wanted to go home. I brought the silver back to Australia, where I incorporated them with gemstones to make the first of my unique pieces. For six years I ran the successful Mayagems in Avalon, Sydney, trading rare and unusual beads, and teaching hundreds of people to make their own unique pieces in my transforming workshops.

In January 2011 I decided to take a year  off to travel to Morocco, Nepal and Turkey, to collect Ottoman, Nepalese and Berber pieces for my new range of jewellery and trade as Travelling Bead. And to reinvigorate my photography and writing.  The whole story is on my blog, Travellingbead.blogspot.com.

I also visited Italy, and while in Venice, took a wrong turn and found myself in the shop of a famous collector who offered to train me in the price glassware of Murano.  I spent a delicious four months in Venice, exploring the lanes and alleys, which I know now like the back of my hand.  I went to Italian school, I worked with old Murano beads.

I’m now back in Sydney, and working from my home gallery.