Spend only a few minutes with Geena Matuson, and you can tell she is a powerful and creative person. Originally from a small town outside of Boston, MA, she is a graduate student working towards her M.A. in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications as part of the Goldring Arts Journalism program, the first arts journalism master’s degree program at an accredited journalism school. Prior to Syracuse, Geena received her BFA in Film/Video at Massachusetts College of Art & Design, a focus on pre-production, writing, and directing. There, she realized her passion for marketing and advertising, and went on to receive certificates of specialization in Business Analytics from Wharton online, and in Digital Marketing from General Assembly.
Geena has said that it’s funny, “most parents push their kids to go to law school, or medical school — mine pushed me into art school.” Growing up, Geena’s parents always encouraged her to pursue a creative path and, while she has always loved the arts, she finds joy in organization and sharing information on an “endless search for truth.” She was already enrolled in art school when she had this revelation, and her love of writing is what originally brought her to the film major. She uses her work as a way to explore her personal truths while sharing this work, both internal and external, with others. This lead her to self-publication of her first book “Dadalectic: Waking Dream” described as “a dadaist collection of poetic stories and dreamy artworks.”
Geena embodies the entrepreneurial spirit with her various talents and skills. When her film work isn’t being featured in festivals, her artwork as ‘The Girl Mirage‘ hanging in galleries and printed in arts publications, Geena is working to launch her own business — Art Inspires You — an online platform that helps provide a “digital community and services to artists.” The venture helps artists create their personal brands and to establish a presence in the digital space, as well as develop new audiences, reach a broader customer base, and drive personal sales — and growth. Geena has spent a lifetime working with artists and creatives, and she wants to help others achieve their personal goals and ideas of “success,” helping them on their own journeys. The idea originated as a concept for a subscription-based arts magazine, and evolved after extensive research and as competitor in the Impact Prize last November.
The word “entrepreneur” was never one that passed through Geena’s mind. Looking back, however, she realizes she’s been an entrepreneur all along: driven, motivated, creative, with the ability to think in new ways and see from different perspectives. She loves to take things apart and rebuild them, optimizing and making things more efficient.
Going forward, Geena will work to launch her personal website at geenamatuson.com, where her writing will take focus as she shares stories of communication, art and technology. She also plans to officially launch the Art Inspires You website, write a book, expand on a podcast, create an online course and more.
Story by Blackstone Global Media Fellow Audrey Miller