Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Genevieve Flynn. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Genevieve, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

It wasn’t until I had graduated from high school. I did not want to go to college, as it was such a struggle to get through my studies in high school. I did not realize that the struggle to study was probably due to a bit of ADHD. I have not been diagnosed by a professional but through the years I have recognized my inability to stay focused when reading. Whatever you want to call it I realized that I did not want to go through college. At 18 I moved to Florida thinking I wanted to live far away from home, have no friends and make a career as a convention secretary. I was very good at secretarial duties but after 8 or 9 months in Florida I came back to Kansas City and enrolled in a local university only to find out from a friend that there was a trade school here that taught jewelry related classes as well as watch and clock repair. I had not interest in the watch/clock side but I took all the jewelry classes I could. My parents were very supportive, and purchased the tools that I needed and wanted. I graduated from the school after about a year and half and immediately found a bench jewelers position in a local jewelry store. I came out feeling confident of what I had learned and quickly realized that I knew nothing of the jewelry industry! LOL.
Most of my knowledge would be learned by working on the job and doing repairs, design, and custom work at the jewelry stores I worked at. I really enjoyed being a goldsmith during that time of my life. About 7 years into my career as a bench jeweler I meet a young lady fresh out of college and she prompted me to take a class at the University of Kansas. I enrolled, as of that time you could take one class and not have to commit to a major, and took my first intermediate junior level class learning how to raise vessels and pick my professor’s brain. He did the same with me as he was intrigued with my goldsmithing background.
I had the privilege of meeting Heikki Seppa, a famous Finnish metals professor at Washington University in St. Louis. Over the following years I became friends with Heikki and was privileged to work in his beautiful studio in St. Louis and ask questions. I worked at using his hollow form techniques in my work and went on to pursue other metals workshops and techniques. I took some workshops with well known metals instructors and implemented their techniques into my work.
I started designing and creating my line of silver and gold work and applied to the ACC shows, this was 1985. After participating in these shows I built a following with buyers with my jewelry. I decided to try doing some larger pieces that would be decorative. I had good luck there and then pursued creating Judaica, which are ceremonial objects in silver for Shabbat, Havdalah, and high holy holidays in the Jewish religion. I was very successful in this area of sales and had work in the Jewish Museum’s gift shop in New York City, I had exhibitions at various Jewish related show.
During this time I coordinated a national craft show held in Baltimore, with another jeweler Lauren Schott. We pulled together to form The Baltimore Alternative Craft Show that was held at the same time frame as the ACC Baltimore Show. This show offered artists an alternative to the ACC application and helped fill a need for artists to show and sell their work while gleaning sales from the ACC show that was happening at the same time. I did this for 10 years while doing my work.
I moved on from this in 2000 where I fell into a teaching position for a local shop here in KC. She wanted an instructor and there I was. I have been teaching in some capacity since that time,

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

You can pull information from my previous question for any of this but I will expand on things for you.

After being in the metals world for 45 years I felt like it was time to do the things that were passionate to me.
I create fine sterling silver/argentium silver heirloom objects of art. This means that I design and create tabletop sculptural objects, some are functional and some are not. I am still creating some Judaica but I have gone towards making one of a kind small vessels or bowls, vases etc.
I still create some one of a kind jewelry which presently is being represented in the St Louis area and seems to be selling nicely.

I work by myself which is a challenge in its own right. Not having people to bounce ideas off of or help talk out a problem is difficult at times. But with technology there seems to be an answer or someone to ask pretty readily.

I feel what sets me apart from many metals people is that I strive to create one of kind heirloom pieces. I want people to pass these items down through their families and friends. I am a lover of Victorian and Art Nouveau type work and saw the preciousness of those items.

I feel that my tenacity to continue my practice is what I am most proud of. There have been countless times that I felt like hanging up the hammers for good and something always brings me back. I am not a quitter!

I am presently getting ready for another ACC show in St Paul MN. This will be October 7-9, 2022. This is my first foray back into this large competitive area of artists. I am really looking forward to building my business up and selling my works to those that adore them!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Lesson: Don’t change things totally every 4-5 years!

Throughout my childhood my parents were moving to locations in the Missouri area. Which meant being uprooted from friends and family. I was quite shy and it was very difficult to make new friends but once I did I made close ties.
I did not realize how much this uprooting would impact my life for the long run. I found myself thinking that “Well, this item has not had much attention. Maybe I should not show it and make something new. Or a new line of items.” I did not understand how important it is to show buyers/clients that I was consistent. NOT consistently changing, of which I could certainly create new items and ADD them to my repertoire. Through these times of change I would step back and lose clients because of my impulsiveness.
This was realized only 15 or so years ago. I have been working towards letting that feeling go as I have not moved from my home for over 42 years!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I believe that we alllllllll are creatives! As children those creative thoughts are sometimes driven out of us and lead us to believe that we are NOT creative. This is so far from correct!

I teach silversmithing classes and have found that many people who work in areas that use their mind very differently in their techniques feel that they are not creative. And I believe that they are. It is tapping into the other side of the brain and using it is where the challenge comes in.

I was told that I could not draw while in a middle school art class. This resulted in me never taking another art class of any kind until I was in my mid twenties. I have worked through this trauma, which for many would not be a big deal, and I have taught myself to draw some. I still don’t create beautiful renderings but what I realized was I could DO the work and I could visualize what it was I wanted to do. Those that could draw could not, in general.

I always tell my students no matter how old or young, you can tell me that you don’t want to do something but please don’t tell me you can’t do it. We can do whatever we put our minds to.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.genevieveflynn.com
• Instagram: @jewelerinaflynn
• Facebook: Genevieve Flynn Studio
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCauBqOoMMqsKEh2WjVcnZYQ

Image Credits
Terry Weckbaugh, photographer