Judy Cole Mooney began her creative journey as a potter throwing utilitarian pieces. Retirement gave her time to pursue her interests in art and it wasn’t long before she discovered her interest in sculpture. During her artistic development, she has worked in a variety of media but returns to clay, for she finds something about the earthiness of it appealing and frequently uses the naked clay as a major part of the finish. Mooney started studying ceramic sculpture at Armstrong Atlantic State University and continues to study at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Her work is figurative and tells stories about people, their diversity, their character, their struggles and their victories. Her work was exhibited for “Savannah Clay” in the Pinnacle Gallery at SCAD-Savannah in Dec., 2006. In October 2006 she was a part of a three woman show, “Celebrating Women,” at the Jewish Educational Alliance Gallery in Savannah. She worked for a year on the SCAD botanical sculpture installation “Resurrection” as an assistant to British sculptor Julia Barton, a visiting artist at SCAD. Mooney’s work has received honorable mention in AASU student shows, a first place, third place and honorable mention in The Landings Art Shows and an honorable mention in the Hilton Head Gallery Winterfaire. She works daily in her studio on her own work and coordinates workshops for local artists and brings visiting artists to this area to teach.rnShe is a native of Louisiana, began working in clay as she neared retirement from the YMCA of Charlotte, N.C., where she was vice president for community development. In 2000 Mooney retired and moved to Savannah with her husband, Pat. Mooney has three children and six grandchildren.In their free time, she and her husband enjoy gardening and touring on their bicycles and kayaks.