Q: You began your career as a fashion designer in Paris before returning to the U.S. to pursue woodworking. What prompted this transition from fashion design to sculpture?
Mia: Everybody in my family worked in fashion at some point. So I went to Paris with Vicky Tiel and started a business that took off overnight. For me, the joy was in starting the business and getting it off the ground, but Vicky enjoyed the glamor of the fashion world. We had a marvelous conversation pit where we would hang out with famous actresses, drink wine, and talk. But after 10 years, I had enough of that, so I decided to leave the business to Vicky. I went to California to learn woodworking from a family of cabinet makers. They let me work in their shop late at night, and I absolutely loved it.
Q: Our natural world is changing dramatically due to human activity. What are some of the environmental issues that most concern you?
Mia: I have always loved science – it was one of my favorite subjects in school. While on the boat to Paris in the 1960s, I was reading Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. I love to hear birdsong and it’s terrifying to think of a world without it. I also read the science section of the New York Times and I followed the research Jane Goodall was doing on primates. So I’ve known about climate change and biodiversity loss for a long time, and it still concerns me deeply.
Q: Why did you choose to host an auction benefiting World Wildlife Fund? Is there a specific species you’re most fond of?
Mia: WWF is an amazing organization that’s helping wildlife species across the world. So I thought it was fitting to partner with WWF, because my love for animals has continued into my adulthood. Just last year, I went on safari in Africa for the first time and it was a phenomenal experience. I saw lions in the wild, and it was joyous to see them living in their natural habitat. And although I love the noble lion and elephant, my favorite species are actually the warthog and the meerkat. I’m obsessed with them!
Q: Can you share the stories behind any of the auction items that have special significance to you?
Mia: The anteater painting is one of my favorites. Someone sent me a box of chocolates from Maison Chocolate, and it came packaged in beautiful red cellophane wrapping. I realized that texture would be perfect for an anteater, and then I added coffee grounds. I really let my imagination run wild with that piece.
