We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lacy Freeman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lacy below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Lacy with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I remember watching my dad go to work as a welder every day growing up, taking a lot of pride in his craft, facing difficulties and challenges, yet still remaining positive when he returned home each day. Tired as could be, but absolutely positive and proud of his work, and the jobs he was working on. His positive attitude has never wavered. His own story is really inspiring, and one that I keep close to my heart. I try to remember the things he’s always told me: work hard, be proud of the work you do, and do your best. It goes a long way.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My name is Lacy Freeman, I’m an artist who paints animal art and pet portraits. For nearly a decade, I’ve focused my painting skills on animal art, painting portraits of people’s pets and telling their stories. I’m a mom, wife, bird nerd and a dog lover living just outside of Atlanta. I come from a Native Alaskan family and I use the art of painting and story telling of animals to connect with this part of myself.
Over the ten years I’ve been working in my studio, I’ve noticed a lot more artists and companies offering pet portraits, but so many of them are not hand painted or original works of art. Through consistency, I’ve honed my skills to produce one-of-a-kind paintings for folks who love their pets, and my unique painting style, that are full of color and character.
Once a year or so, I create a truly unique series of work aside from painting animals, and this year I’m celebrating my abstract series, The Pursuit of Happiness.
This summer, you can find me at Vahi Summerfest on June 8 and 9.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Discipline, consistency, and confidence are the top three qualities that come to mind when I look back on my painting journey. By routinely practicing and making sure I get into the studio each day, I have been able to see so much progress in my work. I love getting into a routine of painting and practicing, and I really miss it from my life when I’m not able to be in studio. By creating a consistent body of work, I am able to create something dependable for my clients and customers, and am reliable in the paintings I produce. Even when I’m working on an abstract series, by using a consistent color palette, rather than throwing together every color available, I am able to find freedom in that structure and create consistent yet creative pieces that I feel represent my work as a whole. I like that folks recognize my work and say that it looks like “me”. Discipline and consistency give me a sense of self worth in a busy art world, and I am proud of my work.
If you’re early in your artistic journey, I would say to stick with it. Stay true to what feels most like you, don’t hop on every trend that comes along, and get in that studio space. Practice, practice, practice!
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal clients are pet lovers. I want to paint your pets! I love working with families on creating art for their nurseries and play rooms. It’s such an honor knowing kids will grow up seeing my work in their homes. I also enjoy working with interior designers to create the perfect piece for their beautiful and thoughtful designs.
Contact Info:
- Website: Lacymfreeman.com
- Instagram: @lacymfreeman
- Facebook: facebook.com/lacymfreeman
- Other: Pet Portraits: www.lacymfreeman.com/collections/all-portraits Pursuit of Happiness series: www,lacymfreeman.com/collections/pursuit-of-happiness
