We recently connected with Genevieve Esson and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Genevieve thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Meaningful projects that have resonated with me are the 26 Public Art Projects I have completed since 2009. Being involved with Community Art made me realize I was civic minded and that Public Art made a difference in peoples lives. i especially liked the community based art projects, where the public would contribute by helping to paint a mural or having a say in what kind of art installation they would like to see in their local neighborhood. It’s pretty cool to be driving down a street and seeing a mural I created on a Utility Box or a Metro Art Bus Mural I designed that everyone helped paint. It’s all about giving back to the community. Creating art in any form for the community performs a service and function: it brings meaning and beautifies a space for all to be involved in. Public Art is visually and physically accessible to the public in both outdoor and indoor settings. Being an Artist who creates Art for the Public has made me more aware of what is universally and visually appealing for the population in general. I love color, and if I can create a design a local community can relate to, it’’s awesome! This kind of creativity has opened doors to other opportunities and challenges. Some have definitely been mind-bending, but it’s all about collaborating, asking questions and new adventures. It’s so important to communicate, get your ideas out there and come up with a solution for the demographic area. Putting a proposal together is not easy. You basically have to start from scratch, do research and gather your information from past projects to form a good quality outline for the CFA. There is no pay in putting a proposal together. It’s all about the quality and clarity of the artists concept. Some of the twenty plus Public Art projects I have completed are: two community-based Metro bus murals, traffic signal boxes, utility boxes, interior murals, painting three-dimensional outdoor sculptures, playhouses, designing streetlight banners, placemaking signage, crosswalk murals, window cling murals, fire hydrants, digital vinyl art wraps and more.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

As a toddler I grew up playing in my Dad’s art studio. He was a painter and an amazing artist! I’ve always had art in my background, but did not become a serious artist until 2002. I started showing my art at Earth Day St. Louis in 2002. I was inspired by the Earth, and had a series of Green Goddess paintings I exhibited there. People really liked them, so I got into it. I made some sales and got inspired. From there, I answered a CFA for the Roaring Lions Project in 2009. This was my very first Public Art Project. I also started exhibiting my artwork in group and solo shows around St. Louis. I am a painter and Multimedia Artist, whose main medium is acrylics. I started my first website in 2008 with FineArtAmerica.com. That is where you can see my portfolio. I have various styles of art and am inspired by many things: nature, animals, music, color, people and art history. To keep things interesting and for inspiration I experiment with different media. Because of my curiosity, a 2017 solo show I’m very proud of: Multimedia; The Diversity of Trees was a success! I had used various media and found objects to construct trees. This show evolved around a proposal I wrote for the CFA for Third Degree Glass Factory in St. Louis. The theme for the show also revolved around recycling and upcycling. If you read my story about Meaningful Projects you’ll know I have completed 26 successful Public Art Projects. That is an important focus for me, for I found I am very civic minded, and want to put color and happiness in peoples lives with my art. As a Professional Artist: I definitely march to the beat of my own drum. I think that’s what inspires me, and keeps me going with it. I am so grateful to all my supporters and patrons. At fairs and festivals I sell smaller artworks, prints, coasters and magnets. It’s good to have smaller price point items at these outdoor and indoor fairs. When I show my artwork at galleries or restaurants I display larger artworks. I also like to participate in Paint Live events and fundraisers. It’s really cool to see people having a good time and buying art!

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Any kind of support for artists from their communities would be helpful. Anything from liking and commenting on social media to purchasing artwork from the artist. Buying an original work of art or print allows the artist to grow, giving support and ability to create and share more art with their friends, family & community. More public expenditures in support of the Visual Arts would be helpful as well. Integration of arts and culture into other policy areas (e.g., community development, education, parks and recreation, etc.) The more people are exposed to art and able to participate in an art happening or community art project gives them a better understanding of the artistic process, to educate and bring forth a positive outlook and respect for the artist, as an occupation.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Being creative allows me to pursue my dreams and goals. It’s an adventure I can have fun at, with room to explore, because they are my own ideas and inspirations. Putting color & happiness In peoples lives is very rewarding for me! Being able to express myself and possessing the capability to motivate people with my work, to share it with others, and at the same time being able to learn and grow endlessly gives me immense pleasure. As an artist, I am never bored because I’m always learning.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.genevieve-esson.artistwebsites.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genevieveesson/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GenevieveEssonArt/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genevieve-esson-art-4453576/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/esson_genevieve
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gwyneth4u2/videos
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/gesson582/public-art-by-genevieve-esson/

Image Credits
All images by Genevieve Esson © 2024 except for Metro Art Bus pics of the Missouri Botanical Garden are by Jeff Schaeffer, Maplewood Transit Transformation Stop photo by Enjoy Maplewood and Colorsplash Flyer Wrap pic by Robert Wilson.