Simply Beaming: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Stacy...She is a spirit that is truly one-of-a-kind. Getting to know Stacy, you will find so much more than a creative beauty, you will find a woman that has a truly courageous and loving spirit. The longer you get to know her, you begin to ponder how she can continue to make such amazing and unique artwork including photography like no other. We will forever love this lady; so we are excited to share her work and journey on the blog today!

-Stacy Kron | Stacy Kron Photograpy-

ABOUT ME:

I’m grateful to have learned a strong work ethic by growing up on a farm in southwest MN (raised hogs and beef cattle … and to my delight, had about 40 cats at one time). I will forever be a crazy cat lady. My husband, John and two daughters Jozie and Raymie (10 and 7) are the best I could ever hope for. They accept me for the mess that I am!

When I was in high school, I knew I had to pursue a career in the arts, because art was the first thing I would think about when I woke up every day. I completed the Communication Art and Design program and had the most outstanding instructors at Alexandria Technical College. (Don’t belittle technical colleges … get in, get out, get on with your life without a boatload of debt.) I worked a few years as a graphic designer for a couple different companies in town, which I gained invaluable experience.

When I couldn’t bear dropping off my baby at daycare full-time anymore, I knew I had to make some changes. I put in my 2-weeks notice at my job, bought a computer and design software and started a part-time freelance graphic design business from home. It was totally a God-thing that it became successful because I had only one potential client at the time. Word-of-mouth was my advertising.

I had no intentions of becoming a photographer, but wanted to have photos of my family that weren’t the typical “studio look”. I learned all I could about photography, lighting, and editing through the magic of Google, books and a photography mentor.

Now photographing young families, seniors and couples takes up the bulk of my work hours, but graphic design and artwork still have a place in my life that I can’t give up. A couple online art shops (Minted and Society6) sell my designs and paintings (and I'll be opening an Etsy shop soon.)

Even though my work looks pretty happy and colorful, my life hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. I was sexually abused as a child, thought I had dealt with it, but it wasn’t until I had a daughter of my own (she was about 7 months old) that I snapped one day and realized that I really had a lot of work to do with dealing with it. Through the support of a wonderful counselor and God’s help, I was able to heal and offer forgiveness. Even though it doesn’t seem like it at the time, God knits everything together for good, even though the devil meant it for evil. Art was (and still is) part of my therapy and a way to work through depression and life’s ups and downs. My husband and girls can attest that I get cranky if I haven’t been creating anything lately.

Resistance (the devil) will do everything to distract you and keep you from doing what you know in your heart you need to do. Resistance wins when you walk away from that canvas, (or maybe it’s a guitar, clay, journal, microphone) … any creative outlet that makes you feel alive. What is it that makes you feel alive? It’s different for all of us. We’re created in the image of the ultimate creative One. It brings God so much joy when we’re creating!

FAVORITE THINGS:

Summertime bike rides, beach time and Jeep rides on country roads with a cherry Dilly Bar; Finding design, color and pattern inspiration in random places and compiling it in a book for days that I’m feeling stuck; Art galleries; Soft pretzels, cotton candy, buffalo wings and wine

Favorite books: ‘The War of Art’ by Steven Pressfield, 'Big Magic’ by Elizabeth Gilbert, 'Cure for the Common Life’ by Max Lucado

TV: The Goldbergs, Modern Family, Fixer Upper

Discovering new music: Different Spotify playlists for my many moods

Skillshare.com: learning something new from their online classes

Podcasts: This American Life, Joyce Meyer, The Freelancer, Hello Today with Tripp and Tyler

WHAT I’M LEARNING:

• This is my "year of ‘no'” … I don’t want to miss out on my girls’ childhoods so I’m learning to say “no” to taking on more jobs and photo sessions, even though I could be making more money and cramming my calendar. Saying “yes” to more important things. No more working until 2am, like I used to. Watching Jimmy Fallon as my husband and I laugh ourselves to sleep is WAY better.

• It’s also my "year of naps” … Learning what burns me out. As an INFP, after a few hours with people (as much as I truly love them!), I’m depleted. A quick 20 minute nap does me a whole lotta good.

• Challenging myself to complete a “painting a day” project is good motivation for me to create something with my hands instead of sitting in front of a computer all day

• To give myself as much grace as I give other people. I make mistakes all the time. Life goes on, and the most beautiful things are not perfect.