







Question: Judy, tell us a little bit about yourself, affiliations, personal stuff.
Judy: I feel like my life began 8 years ago when we moved to Tampa. I had the opportunity to switch gears from a stressful corporate job as Vice President of Policy Administration with a large life insurance company. The change was life-saving. I graduated from college with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree but immediately took the practical approach and started working 9-5 jobs. Art was just a hobby for me back then. With the move to Tampa, I was able to leave my job and made the decision to try to live my dream and be a full-time artist. My concentration is clay, but I've always loved photography. I have a pottery studio set up in our garage, that I fondly call the garagio. I throw on the potter's wheel and handbuild, all from moist clay. Most of my work is whimsical and all of my work is full of color. I'm a member of Florida Craftsmen and am a full-time gallery artist at the Florida Craftsmen gallery in St. Pete. This is a major accomplishment for me and something that I worked towards for several years. I have work at an artists co-op called A Little Room for Art as well as Clay and Paper in Dunedin, as well as a few galleries around the country.
Question: Apart from creating art what do you do?
Judy: I spend an awful lot of time on the computer. I have three online shops, two on Etsy, http://www.judybfreeman.etsy.com/ and http://www.jbfphoto.etsy.com/ and one on Artfire at http://www.judybfreeman.artfire.com/ These online venues have made selling my own work so much fun. I ship all around the world, as a matter of fact, just this week I shipped a necklace to Norway and I'm working on a custom ceramic mug for a fellow in Australia. I've met a lot of fellow-potters on Etsy and the supportive environment has been wonderful. I have a blog that I update from time to time at http://www.butterflyfarmpottery.blogspot.com/ Besides banging away at the keyboard, on the weekends my husband and I are out on the motorcycle. We belong to the Tampa Harley Owners Group, Cigar City HOG. I'm the chapter Photographer and have a blast snapping away from the back of the bike.
Question: What first made you want to become an artist?
Judy: It was always something that I loved doing even as a kid. I'd figure out art projects to do on summer vacations, put my dad to work scrounging up materials for me. I guess it's always been my passion.
Question: Describe your creative process.
Judy: A lot of what I do now is driven by special orders. The list drives my creative process especially at this time of the year. Gearing up for Christmas is so much fun when it's still in the 90's outside. Usually what happens to me is an idea will come to mind when I'm driving in the car or when my mind is just wandering. Often the ideas will be funny ones and I'll crack myself up. I always have a small pad with me and I try to jot the ideas down so that I can add them to my to do list.
Question: Top five books, movies, songs, groups, websites
Judy: I've turned into a lousy reader since I spend so much time on the computer. My favorite author of late is Clive Cussler, I love his mysteries, I also like Michael Crichton. Movies - My Blue Heaven with Steve Martin - favorite line - "You're so hot, you could melt all this stuff" cracks me up. Groups - I could see Eric Clapton over and over in concert, I love Al Jarreau, and Steeley Dan is the bomb and they're great in concert. Websites - Etsy of course - it's an amazing place to find just about anything that you're looking for that's unique and handmade.
Question: In ten years I'd like to be...
Judy: First answer, still having a blast with my art. Hopefully I'll still have the stamina for working in clay. It's a very physical art, lugging 50 pound boxes of clay, throwing, pushing, pulling, it's a day at an expensive spa without the high price! I'd like to still have our wonderful friends and enjoying life. You can't ask for much more than that.
Question: Tell us a little bit about yourself, affiliations, personal stuff.
Bob: I was born and raised in the Midwest, outside of Detroit in Dearborn Heights, MI. I have been married to Judy, my wife of 32 years and we have 2 grown children. I have been visiting Florida my entire life and actually lived in Sarasota for a few years when I was 6 years old. We decided to move to Florida in 2009 to be closer to our relatives. I have been very active my entire life, both personally and professionally. I am a strong believer that if you work hard, you play hard to keep balance. As a hobby, I collect neck ties and baseball cards. I received my first guitar when I was 9 years old and continue to play.
Question: Apart from creating art what do you do?
Bob: I graduated from college in aeronautical engineering and worked 2 years for Boeing. I discovered that I did not want to be trapped behind a desk my entire life and totally changed fields, ending up in the insurance business for the past 25 years. I am considered a turnaround expert because I help insurance companies expand their business when they can't. I have just recently completed a major expansion of a Tampa based insurance company and I am now looking to secure my next assignment. I have helped over 25 insurance companies in the past 20 years and generated over $4 billion in business.
Question: What first made you want to become an artist?
Bob: I have a very creative mind and wanted to express that in art. I began drawing when I was young and found out that I was pretty good at it. One thing led to another and I started to explore painting and photography. Painting is a great way to relieve stress.
Question: Describe your creative process.
Bob: I wish I had one, but I don't. Like anything, if I get inspried, I paint, however, my items have more of a 3D look. I use a lot of paint when I make a creation.
Question: Top 5 books, movies, songs, groups, websites
Bob: Book - How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci; Movie - Brubaker; Song - any James Taylor or Keb Mo song; Groups - The Beatles (I actually went to their concert); Broadway Play - Phanton of the Opera
Question: In ten years I'd like to be...
Bob: Enjoying time at our house in Key West with my own art gallery on Duval Stret and having a beverage at my favorite watering hole with my wife.
Bob, thanks for sharing and letting us get to know you a little better. Stay tuned for upcoming Artist interviews.






During June and July, Jacey Gallery is proud to be hosting “Art at the Speed of Life” — an exhibit featuring the artwork of members of the Westchase Artists Society. The group is made up of artists from the Upper Tampa Bay area whose artistic passion leads them to create art even while working, running businesses, caring for families, and volunteering in the community. You are invited to come visit the exhibit and share in their passion.

Today I was talking to my friends and inviting them to the library
show reception. As they were leaving, they said, "We will see
you there and we hope the show is a success." And that is when all
this questioning that I am going to share with you came about.
So how do you measure success for a show?
Do you measure success by how many people come to a show?
Do you measure success by how many people bought or sold artwork?
Do you measure success by how many people participated in the show?
Do you measure success by how the show was arranged?
Do you measure success by the food that was served at the reception?
Do you measure success by the type of people that came to the show?
Do you measure success by what someone told you about the show?
Do you measure success by having the best picture in the show?
Do you measure success by having an article written in a magazine or
newspaper?
Do you measure success by reviews?
Do you measure success by just being part of the show and enjoying the
entire event?
Do you measure success by how many people you met and how you network
on a show?
Now. Wouldn't all these questions also apply to your art by itself? How
will you measure success as an artist? Do you measure it by setting
goals and achieving them or by seeing your name somewhere? Or perhaps
making a living as an artist?
We are accustomed to measure things in this world by meter,
centimeter, failures, success, happiness, sadness and so on. And we
even have levels for them: first place, second place, etc. Not
everyone measure the same things the same way that each of us do
because we are all different and we all come from different
background. So what for one person will be a success, for another
person will be an okay and for another person will be a failure. It
is in the eyes of the beholder that the levels of measuring truly
stands. And if that is the case, wouldn't be easier to measure things
if we could understand what are we measuring with (meter, gallons,
level of success, etc) before we try to understand how others measure
our art or shows?
So may be we should be prepared because some day you might find
yourself answering the question of how was your show or how are you
doing as an artist? And you will say...

