Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Beth Flynn.
Hi Mary Beth, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Mary Beth Flynn received a degree in Human and Environmental Sciences from the University of Missouri in 1981. For many years, while raising children, she worked as a commercial designer, a professional watercolor house portrait artist and a Home Care caregiver.
Artfully Aging was founded in 2009. It was through having an extensive art background, experience working with seniors and a desire to contribute to society that Mary Beth’s vision for Artfully Aging emerged. Having served the St. Louis senior community for over sixteen years Artfully Aging has brought watercolor art programming to countless senior living communities. In the face of the recent pandemic Artfully Aging pivoted to find a way to continue serving communities without going into them. In early 2021 Artfully Aging launched a new online/internet business model and with it the new possibility of serving seniors and senior communities everywhere.
Today Artfully Aging operates under two business models. It offers in-person watercolor sessions for older adults in all settings and care/skill levels in the St. Louis area as well as an online/internet offering available across the country. The in-person model provides watercolor sessions in all senior settings from St. Louis Community College Continuing Ed. to advanced Memory Care communities. The online program offers ready-to-paint watercolor projects ordered from a menu and shipped with website access to easy to follow “How to” videos.
Artfully Aging is truly a watercolor art program for older adults of all skill and care levels in all senior settings.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Yep, plenty of struggles …
Single parenthood
Recession of 2008-2011
Covid
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I call myself an Entrepreneurial Artist. I am a lifelong artist and all along the way I have found a way to create a business around my art. A great example of this is as a child I made Christmas ornaments and sold them door to door in my neighborhood.
Later, after a career in commercial interior design and having started a family, my creative juices began stirring again. I started what I call my Cottage business painting watercolor house portraits by special order. From around 1995 to present I’ve painted close to 3K house portraits from across the US. However, with my roots in the Kirkwood and Webster Groves area this is where I’ve become best known for my watercolor house portraits.
During the recession of 2008-2011 it became clear that my house portraits were not going to sustain me, so the question became, who needs a watercolor artist? After jumping through many hoops, the stars lined up for Artfully Aging to emerge! My desire to do something that would contribute to society was fulfilled by creating an art program that would bring joy and meaning to the seniors we serve.
Now we come to the pandemic and the next and most recent pivot of pushing Artfully Aging into the national spotlight. All said, I am very proud and grateful to be able to say that so far life’s hardships and setbacks have worked to propel me forward rather than debilitate or immobilize me. I am also very grateful for many who have helped and supported me along the way.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
The ability to stay focused.
Pricing:
- All pricing can be found on our websites
Contact Info:
- Website: https://artfullyaging.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artfullyaging
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-beth-flynn/ and https://www.linkedin.com/company/artfully-aging-llc/?viewAsMember=true
- Other: https://designsbymarybeth.com
Image Credits
All images belong to the Artfully Aging or Designs by Mary Beth photo library. Top personal photo is my headshot. Top row left to right: 1st- A resident art show at Mari de Villa Retirement, 2nd- An art session at Mari de Villa Retirement Community, 3rd- An art session at Brookdale of Creve Coeur, 4th- an art session at Aspen Valley Seniors Home in Washington, MO. Second row L-R: 1st -A home in Kirkwood, 2nd- The Bogey Club – St. Louis, 3rd- A home in Webster Groves, 4th- A St. Louis Oasis watercolor group.
