Tom Butterfield has cycled from one end of England to the other, run six marathons and shook thousands of hands to make his dream of having a museum showcasing Bermuda art a reality. And so this month he found it particularly satisfying to win the Visitor Industry Partnership (VIP) activities and attractions award.The Royal Gazette met up with Mr Butterfield on a quiet Monday morning. He had just been to the physiotherapist. All those years of literally pounding the pavement for Masterworks have taken it out on his back, but he doesn’t consider his back much of a sacrifice. We talked with him about his lifetime of dedication to Bermuda art.Q: How do you feel about this award?A: To me, the idea of being recognised by your peers and by your colleagues and by other people in the industry has a really nice ring to it. The idea that this homebrewed museum, with a vision that it was going to be all about Bermuda, has been recognised as an asset for our visitors makes it feel even better. I think ‘wow’. I just love the idea that what we are doing is such a feel good kind of thing. But I really want to emphasise that this is real teamwork. This happened because of a team. Sure they singled out someone who might bring the team together, but everyone is dedicated. I really want to thank our staff at Masterworks. Q: Where did the idea of Masterworks come from?A: When kids are starting out in the arts, unfortunately, there is some sacrifice that has to be made. I was a freelance artist back in the 1970s. I returned to Bermuda in 1980 and realised I had to shift my expectations a little bit, so I had a stint in the wine business. Then out of that came some work with the Ministry of Community and Cultural Affairs. Out of that was born this idea of Masterworks.Q: When did the Masterworks Foundation start?A: Masterworks was started in 1987. Twenty-four years later, it has been one of those things you never give up on. It was like one of those train stories. (I think I can, I think I can...). The award sort of felt like we were finally over the hill.Q: So Masterworks is over the hill now?A: I wouldn’t say we are over the hill, because there are other things going on in Bermuda right now. We need more visitors. We need to improve the whole product of the Island. I don’t think all is lost. I am so encouraged by the comments made about our Floral Lane Show. Visitors write that they can’t wait to come back and see what the next show is. They say they have a reason to come back to Bermuda. That is a nice thing to feel that people have made an attachment to the overall ambiance and the setting and the artwork and the friendliness they are given at front reception. Everything seems, right now, to be working well. Now we have to take a deep breath and say ‘that is wonderful’, and look at ways to maintain that level of service and maybe improve on it.Q: Do you think all the sacrifices were worth it?A: If you believe in what you do, there is no such thing as sacrifice. You pay a price. You go to the ends of the Earth for what you believe in. You don’t give up until proven otherwise. In this case we were very fortunate. We were able to pull it together. People did get onboard. In the early days, more Bermuda paintings were coming at us than we could handle. We just couldn’t keep up with the demand. We didn’t get them all. We also knew that based on this idea that it wouldn’t be long before private collections would start, and some of the dealers would get involved. You develop competition, and that is healthy.Q: I know you have a lot of neat stuff in the basement that you have recently had an intern cataloguing and archiving. Are you a packrat at home?A: When I was a child, my first job was as a newspaper boy. From that I would look at headlines and become interested in where countries like Pakistan were. And from there I started collecting stamps. My mother Deborah, who passed away in June....boy there was a packrat. I have nothing on her.Q: So what is the next show?A: We have the Charman Prize coming up in September. After that we have a show called ‘A Rock And An Ocean’ celebrating our 25th anniversary 2012 will be our anniversary year, so we will officially open it in January.Q: With the economy the way it is, do you have to be more creative in terms of raising money?A: Cost is obviously a factor. When we opened up the museum at the Botanical Gardens in 2008, we were planning various shows. Then recession kicked in. We thought, we have to change the way we think around here. It is not going to be two or three shows from the permanent collection. It is going to be one great show a year, because otherwise it costs us too much money. So we have had to cut back. It is not for lack of ideas, believe me. We have to save money, so we have to make our one major show a year worthwhile. Right now, I come to work everyday and I still get a buzz out of coming in here and seeing the show. The next show will do that.