Meet Judith Jessup of Wedgewood Houston

Today we’d like to introduce you to Judith Jessup

Hi Judith, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
A large part of my childhood was spent in Pasadena, California. My dad works in the museum field, and I grew up getting to see behind the scenes, meeting the artists and staff members running these arts and culture organizations. Those experiences gave me a unique comfort and perspective on art and the business around it, and I fell in love with all of it. After seven years in California, my family spent two years living in Nome, Alaska, a fairly remote place. Even as a child, those two years helped me understand the privilege of having access to the arts, which solidified my desire to work in this field and help make it more accessible.

Ending up in Nashville happened somewhat randomly, but it’s also one of those things I look back on and realize it was just meant to be. I studied English in college and had a strong interest in both visual and performing arts, but I was all over the map in terms of specifically what I wanted to do with that. In 2021, I was pursuing a lot of internships in artist management, literary management, and script editing. While most of the roles were still completely virtual at that point, I noticed that a majority of these companies and industries were based in LA or NYC. But then I also started seeing Nashville in the mix, which originally put the city on my radar. Kind of serendipitously, around the same time, I had a close friend who was traveling there and invited me, so I tagged along to check out the city. I immediately fell in love with the creative culture and was really excited by the growing art scene. Three months later, I responded to a Facebook ad for a room in a house, and then packed up and moved. After trying out different roles in nonprofit and tech spaces, it became clear that my heart was in gallery work. To me, there’s something unique about the role galleries play in the creative ecosystem, especially in a city like Nashville. It feels like an exciting place to develop a program and be part of the art community’s growth.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’ve been really lucky to have a lot of support in my career and have found myself at many wonderful organizations where I received mentorship and encouragement early on. Of course, there are always roadblocks or challenges when navigating a career—especially early on, and especially in a field so closely connected to something I care a lot about. Having the Venn diagram of what I enjoy in my free time, my hobbies, and my work all so interconnected can be tricky to manage at times.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As the Gallery Director of David Lusk Gallery, I have the opportunity to wear many different hats, which I absolutely love. My day-to-day responsibilities include overseeing operations, creating engaging PR materials and content, and connecting with the visitors who come through our doors.

Another significant aspect of my role involves long-term planning, which is one of my favorite parts of the job. I focus on developing programming that creates opportunities for our artists and fosters community engagement. I’m always thinking about engaging ways DLG can invite people into our space and spark curiosity about art. As I mentioned before, Nashville is a creative community with so many amazing nonprofits and small businesses that help foster arts programs. Finding ways to collaborate with them is another aspect of the job that I love and that makes me really excited about the art scene here.

My goal is to ensure that everyone who visits feels welcomed and encouraged to ask questions and engage in dialogue. Helping people find art they connect with is truly special, and I feel lucky that I get to do that for a living.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
I feel incredibly lucky to have had great examples and support from my family throughout my career journey. My dad’s work in the arts was a huge influence on me. He taught me that art is for everyone and dedicated his career to supporting artists and making museums and art accessible to all. My mom, an educator for most of my life, worked as a literacy teacher and librarian. She was always excited to encourage my brothers and me to read, which gave me a love for the humanities that has played a big role in my educational and professional path. Growing up around that has been a great example for me and has shaped my perspective on art and culture, inspiring me to pursue a career where I can help make art accessible and foster meaningful connections with it.

I’ve also been fortunate to work for organizations where, because my roles were close to leadership positions, I received significant mentorship. In my first tech job, I had weekly one-on-one meetings with the CRO and the CEO. This experience provided me with valuable insights into how an organization can run effectively, what good leadership looks like, and how to be an asset to a team.

I also feel fortunate to be working at an organization like DLG. The team has done an amazing job establishing a program that supports artists, and the artists in our gallery’s program all possess incredible work ethics and creativity. You can’t not feel inspired and driven when working with individuals like that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.davidluskgallery.com/
• Instagram: judithjessup