scarlett“What is your proudest accomplishment?” Scarlett Lanson, otherwise known as “The Bead Maven,” was asked. She pursed her lips, pondered for a moment, and took a sip of her tea.

She has won two International Swarovski Crystal Design Competitions, was named the youngest Contributing Editor at Beadwork Magazine, and is featured in various magazines, and yet, she humbly looked up towards the ceiling, calculating her proudest accomplishment.

“My proudest accomplishments are my designs,” Lanson said after a moment. The passion is prevalent in Lanson’s eyes and voice as she presented her designs, describing each intricate detail and the techniques used to create them.

Lanson, now 24, stated that she has had a passion for beadwork since the young age of 3, when she received children’s beadwork kits and started off making general objects like insects and animals with beads. As Lanson became older, however, her passion for beadwork grew, and so did her artisan talents.

She won her first International Swarovski Crystal Design Competition at the age of 17, and her winning piece, “Brilliance is Born” is displayed in Austria at Swarovski’s. Her second piece that earned the winning title is called “Flora and Fire,” and has been on a world tour and displayed at the Wedding Channel Couture Show in NYC and the Sedona Arts Center’s Fine Art Gallery for their 50th Anniversary.

Also before she was a legal adult, she was named the youngest Contributing Editor at Beadwork Magazine, where she had her own department called “Scarlett’s Style” that featured tutorials and custom commissions that included bridal pieces and specialty designs.

At the age of 17, Lanson also was offered an internship by Teen Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief Amy Astley in New York City. However, Lanson turned the prestigious internship down.

“At the time I was living in Sedona,” Lanson said. “I was inspired by the red rocks of Sedona. It is a Mecca for artists, and I couldn’t imagine moving to the big city.”

Lanson stated that her biggest inspirations come from nature and the gemstones themselves. “When I’m holding a beautiful strand of gemstones, I can envision how I will incorporate them into a design,” Lanson said.

Lanson’s business, Scarlett Rocks Designs, features several collections that differ drastically from one another. Lanson states that this is one of the reasons why her jewelry is exceptionally unique; she says that people are often surprised at how different each piece is. “That’s one of the things that I think distinguishes my designs. Nothing is uniform unless it is in a collection, where they all have a similar theme. Other than that, each piece is unique and differs from the next.”

HotBike Magazine will soon be releasing a “grey” fashion spread with Lanson’s commissioned- by-the-stylist, moto-inspired jewelry. The collection, constructed of gunmetal studs, sold straightaway at Enchantment in Sedona.

Lanson’s pieces have been featured in trunk shows, resorts, and cruise ships across the nation, but heavily concentrated in the southwest. She stated that her goals for Scarlett Rocks Designs is for her brand to grow and become more prevalent in these areas. However, Lanson is content with her work now.