We recently connected with Jeffrey Urdang and have shared our conversation below.

Jeffrey, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

One of the most defining risks I’ve taken was starting my own art installation and design company, Flagstaff Fine Art Services, while building my career as a painter.

At the time, I was exhibiting my work but kept hitting limitations; larger, more immersive ideas required resources and control I didn’t have on my own. Instead of waiting for opportunities, I decided to build that infrastructure myself.

That meant stepping into unfamiliar territory; managing budgets, leading teams, and taking on financial uncertainty with no guarantee of steady work. The biggest risk was balancing business demands with my identity as an artist, without losing my creative voice.

Early on, I took on projects that pushed me technically and logistically, often learning in real time. Over time, that risk paid off. The company allowed me to work at a larger scale, collaborate more deeply, and shape projects from concept to installation.

It ultimately gave me something I didn’t have before: autonomy and the ability to create the conditions for the kind of work I want to make.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a painter and the founder of an art installation and design company, working at the intersection of fine art, spatial design, and fabrication. I grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona in a family of artists. Both my mother and grandmother were artists, so creativity was always part of my foundation.

I started as a studio painter, but became interested in how art can move beyond the wall and shape physical space. That led me into art production and eventually to founding my company, where I bridge the gap between concept and execution.

Today, I create my own work while collaborating with artists, brands, and organizations to develop large-scale installations. At the core, I translate ambitious ideas into tangible outcomes, balancing creative vision with real-world constraints.

What sets me apart is my dual perspective as both an artist and a builder. I’m most proud of building a practice that supports both independence and collaboration, with a focus on creating work that is intentional, immersive, and built to last.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to create work that expands how people experience art, moving it beyond the wall and into immersive, physical space, while building the systems and collaborations needed to bring ambitious ideas to life with clarity, integrity, and precision.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

What I find most rewarding is the ability to bring ideas to life at every scale, from an intimate painting to a large, immersive installation, and to see how people physically and emotionally connect with that work. Owning my own company also allows me to create opportunities not just for myself, but for collaborators, and to help turn ambitious concepts, mine and others’, into something real and lasting.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://flagartinstall.com/