Jean Simrose
Blog: www.jeansimrose.typepad.com
Etsy shop: www.jeansimrose.etsy.com
Brief Bio:
I was born and raised in Canada in a very creative family. We were encouraged to work with our hands and pursue creative hobbies. My sisters and I were taught to sew, knit and crochet at a young age. I liked to design clothes and jewelry to go with them.
My careers were varied and diverse. I was a hairdresser. I worked as an administrative assistant for an oil company while my two sons were growing up. After they moved out on their own I went back to university and became a social worker. I worked with people with disabilities and mental illnesses for many years. Art and crafts became therapy and a way to connect with my clients. I facilitated support groups and encouraged my clients’ creativity and skills as well as developing my own.
In 2005 I remarried and moved to the Seattle area. I took a Silversmithing course offered at a local college. I made jewelry as gifts for family and friends and as I learned new techniques my inventory increased. I started my blog and an on-line Etsy shop in 2009. Since then I have enjoyed participating in art and craft fairs in the U.S. and Canada. I love connecting with new people and expanding my knowledge of this very diverse craft.
I hope people enjoy my jewelry as much as I enjoy making it.
Success in business is defined as….
Success in business for me is being financially secure while I’m doing something I love. I need to feel like I’m appreciated and that I inspire others. Art and crafts have always been a way for me to connect with people. When I worked as a mental health social worker I facilitated a support group for my clients to teach them ways to relax. I taught them different art projects; I watched them express themselves creatively and become passionate about something. It gave me a sense of accomplishment in my work. Unfortunately working in the mental health field is very stressful in other ways and causes a lot of social workers to “burn out”. Before I did that I decided to pursue other avenues to get what I needed to feel successful. I want to be sought after for my jewelry, to be respected in the industry and be inspired and feel fulfilled by my work. I also need to feel as though I am contributing in some small way and teaching other helps me to do that. I have a long way to go to accomplish my goals but I’m enjoying the journey!
Please, go there to find the other blogs and read the other questions/answers 🙂
I think you are getting there Jean! I can imagine how beneficial doing those art projects was for your social work clients, but I can also imagine how draining that field can be.