Life & Work with Stacy Kroot

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacy Kroot.

Hi Stacy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today. 
My Story… 

My family is a combination of educators/creatives, and I have been led by artistic expression my entire life. Some of the most informative memories I have are art classes I took at Barnsdall Park. I can replay them like old movies, driving over Laurel Canyon, down Hollywood Blvd, and turning into a small hill leading up to space for free creativity. 

Beyond the many exhibits I have seen there, including the Hollyhock House, there was an exhibit I remember as a kid that was an installation piece located between the main museum and the art center. It was fully immersive and engaged the viewer beyond just the visual. You would go through spaces that were altered in size, light, sound, color, shape, and texture. This was unlike anything I had experienced, even Disneyland (which, as a kid, is magical). Anyway, that’s the beginning, then add to that all the other museums, theaters (Will Geer), and festivals (Renaissance) in Los Angeles and beyond. 

I was all over the board through school and toyed with fashion design, illustration, photography, and so much more that the decision to go to LAVC was a wise one.  I was able to test drive all of my many interests. I had one instructor, Joe Bavaro, who was instrumental in seeing my potential and understood how best to nurture its growth. As a Cranbrook School Graduate in Architecture, he had direct knowledge of an educational route different from a traditional university. He spoke with me about Art School alternatives and took me to a portfolio day at CalArts, where I got to meet reps from all the major Fine Art Schools. The big takeaway was that I had my pick of schools. They were intrigued to see what I would do if I applied my ideas to sculpture/3D. 

Hearing this, Joe started to mentor me in creating large sculptural pieces and using materials I had never used i.e., dental impression material to make an impression cast of Naugahyde to then pour latex to have a giant skin-like sheet to stretch over an organic shape I sculpted with styrofoam covered in bondo…fun stuff and a wild new direction for me! 

After a summer of packing through Europe and soaking in all the art and culture, I returned to the states and ended up choosing The Art Institute of Chicago with great encouragement from Joe. 

I received my BFA from SAIC in 3 years, and by the end, I was doing installation art, incorporating all my interests: sculpture, painting, and photography. I was invited to show my work at the State of Illinois Gallery but moved back to CA and chose San Francisco. 

In San Francisco, I put my skills to work in display production at Ed Martinez Productions, building props and scenery for retail windows, trade shows, and more. I then worked for Neiman Marcus as an in-house display artist.  After several years of this, I decided I wanted to continue and receive my Masters. 

Thinking on how I could combine all my interests more traditionally, I decided to study Interior Architecture and Design. California College of the Arts had a great program but did not offer it as a master’s, so instead, I received a second BFA. 

Even though I excelled in the Interiors program and had valuable employment opportunities, I knew my heart was with making art. I ended my three years with a multi-media installation thesis on the basis of Interior Architecture and Design. 

Life continued; I found my way to a ceramic studio in Berkeley, began producing work, and reaching out to galleries. I had the opportunity to show at several in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and was beginning to reach out to N.Y. 

Then, my life changed beyond what I imagined with the birth of my son. Being his parent became the most important thing I could ever do. 

I was now living in Grass Valley, CA, and structured my creative outlet around my son. I took Applied Art and Design classes and started doing freelance, worked at an amazing Art Center for Adults with Disabilities as the Studio Coordinator and Multidiscipline Teacher, all while continuing to produce fine art and taking commissions. 

I am now back in Los Angeles offering full design needs in graphics & web design. I started a line of children’s clothing called Beanstalks and am currently looking to join a ceramics studio to continue producing my first passion of Fine Art. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well, I don’t believe anything is ever really smooth, and if it was, there would be some great opportunities missed. I have had my share of struggles in all aspects of life and business. But I have learned that what matters is the process, so I try to keep my focus there and work to keep moving. When things go in unintended directions, that is when I try to pay more attention. *Insert aphorisms here* Obstacles and challenges are opportunities to find the hidden gems, happy accidents, and or valuable lessons. 

I remember very early on in my career, I seemed to flat line or hit stagnation, where ideas were not generating and or jelling; the physical part of making art seemed stuck and clumsy. I felt the fears of failure creeping in, then someone older and wiser said to let go of the expectation… that all artists hit plateaus, that it’s okay, normal, and more importantly, necessary! To recognize those times for what they allow… the taking in, the unconscious absorption of everything around you that then percolate and breathe. To acknowledge during that time, you are working just as hard, but it is the part of the process where you are internalizing vs expanding. There is not set time limit on how long it lasts; a day, week, months, even years, to just remain open because interesting new things will find a way out. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have been an artist all my life, working professionally in the art and visual design field for over 29 years, including freelancing, independent commissions, and teaching. Inspiration is everywhere. Staying open with a fascination for the incongruous is what defines my sensibility. I can talk about creative ideas and the human condition for hours…like a never-ending roadmap with switchbacks. The approach I bring to all art and visual design comes with a strong support structure from curiosity, education, and hands-on skills with a myriad of mediums and applications – i.e., painting, sculpture, photography, woodworking, metal, ceramics, installation art, interior architecture and applied design, prop & display production. All of this combined affords me an expansive flexibility in the creative process. I arrive at problem-solving solutions and deliver creative end products that are said to be innovative, thoughtful, and unique. 

If I had to say, “What I am most proud of,” It is my ability to remain open, listen, and allow my thoughts to have quick, fire-free association and my ability to pivot. Often, I can see things fully complete from the start while also maintaining very close attention to detail. Beyond the works, it is the moments in my process that I value more. I am grateful for the feedback others have shared with me and take more pride in their observations and comments like that. I‘m so quick in generating ideas, and they loved working with me. Someone once said they could see the factory working once given a suggestion and the steam pumping from the top of my head. Another client described me as a visual alchemist… I thought that was so cool… and on cue… generated a lot of images in my head…lol. 

How do you think about luck?
I think luck can be seen as a door opening. I have been lucky from the start to have a family that supported my path in the Arts. I have been lucky to have friends who chose to engage and understand even if it is different than their path. I have been lucky to experience great opportunities through education, travel, and nature that have only brought further luck with connections to other like-minded people. I have been lucky in patronage from those who support by purchasing my work or hiring me to help them create a vision for their work. I have even been lucky in the “bad” as something of value emerged. So, doors… I just keep taking the chance and opening them. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.krootstudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krootstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=100002408666609
• Other: https://www.beanstalks-kidsapparel.com