Intentional Art for Your Space
Wares By Maegan is a home-based macramé and craft business owned by Maegan and Steven Lundy in Fairbanks, Alaska. Maegan has created her own niche by bringing her love for the Alaskan wilderness to her community of macramé artists. Macramé is textile art, and art is intended to be more than a curated aesthetic. Through her creative touch, Maegan is an advocate for consumptive use of natural resources, and ensuring those resources will be available to our descendants.
If one were to observe a piece of Maegan’s work that has incorporated antler, fur, or driftwood, they are confronted with more than the beauty of nature and all she has to offer. Look beyond the beauty of the piece and one will see the cycle of life, the cultural value and its history for all of us, the educational value and all it can teach us, and the appreciation we feel for the honor of sharing this world with so many amazing creations.
Maegan has always had a knack for creating wall décor like macramé and dream catchers, yet starting a business was mostly a dream until meeting with the Alaska Small Business Development Center (Alaska SBDC). Fairbanks Business Advisor Alexis Amstutz has been Maegan’s mentor since conceptualization. Maegan is a first-time business owner and Amstutz worked to help Maegan and Steven navigate the technical tasks of a small business start-up from laws and regulations to navigating marketing and promotion.
When asked what her favorite aspect is of being a small business owner, Maegan shared that it is the supportive culture of her business community. Maegan’s business is active on Instagram, and she was surprised to find that her peers act less like a community and more like a family. Together with her fellow business owners, they support each other in everything from technicalities like logistics and book-keeping to the creative process, helping each other develop ideas for new pieces.
What is next?
Maegan would like to take a deeper dive into the outdoors by finding ways to incorporate new materials into her work. Think of things like wool, bone, and ptarmigan wings! For an energizing addition to your home or the perfect springtime gift, peruse Maegan’s keychains, plant hangers, and decor on Instagram (waresbymaegan_) and her Etsy shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/WaresByMaegan.
