Meet Mara Freeman | Hairstylist & Self-Taught Metalsmith

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mara Freeman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mara, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I work as a full time hairstylist and have for about 12 years. I love the industry a lot and love to teach, and even train new stylists at the salon I work at. However, owning my own salon is not something I wanted to pursue. I’m an introvert at heart, and I’ve learned I need a lot of time to recharge my social battery. Hairstyling is an extremely social job, and I love the ability to leave work at not bring the atmosphere home with me. When I decided to open my own jewelry business, one of the huge benefits was being able to do this hobby I love, at times I wanted to do it. And I don’t have to talk to anyone, I can play whatever music I like, it’s so freeing. And now I can actually make some income with it! I love it.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I like to keep learning new things. That’s the kind of thing that keeps me engaged and busy,  in any interest I have. In cosmetology, the science and chemistry we keep learning about hair is something I am very passionate about. It keeps me moving forward; trying and discovering new things.

Metalsmithing keeps me so focused! I love it. I feel like I’ll never stop learning and experiencing new techniques and I’m loving learning how I like to do things along the way.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m from and live in Tallahassee, FL. Growing up I didn’t love it, but as an adult I really grew to love this area a lot! In Tallahassee we have this really eclectic guy who owns an Antique Car Musuem. Everyone who comes through just has to see it. He even has President Lincoln’s HEARSE! It’s really a wild place.
From there you really need to join our loca Foodies group and experience some of Tallahassee’s local restaurants. One of my favorites is a local Italian restaurant, Bella Bella. I always feel like I’m in a different place when I eat here. The food is always delicious and they have interesting and artistic specials!
My siblings and I are really close, and almost every Saturday we hang out and grab drinks at our fave spot, Ology. It’s a local brewery with just the most fantastic brews and they also have a coffee bar and really good food. Probably going to spend 3-5 hours there easily, because the atmosphere is spectacular.
I always want people to check out the surrounding areas. There’s this place called Providence Canyon, about 2 hours outside of Tallahassee. It’s like a mini Grand Canyon. You can walk all the way to bottom in about 20 min. Or you can take the advanced routes and really do some hiking. I like to bring my dog!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mom and dad were huge supporters of mine. I’m the middle kid, and I have to say I have somewhat perpetuated the cliche. While my parents supported all of their children’s talents and interests, my parents had a lot of patience with me and really fostered my artistic endeavors. My mom was an avid crafter, so it introduced me to a lot of things. When I decided I wanted to learn metalsmithing, I think watched every video on YouTube about it that I could get my hands on. I eventually got into a group of Facebook, “Inspiring Metalsmiths Jewelry”, and it was amazing! I had never, and still haven’t, met so many experienced artists willing to share tips, tricks and knowledge. This is one industry I can say is really inclusive and it feels as though there’s always enough room for everyone.

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