We were lucky to catch up with Stacey DeHay recently and have shared our conversation below.
Stacey, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I have always been a creative person, even as a kid. I love to make things, imagine new worlds and try every craft possible. I spent many years making stained glass, an art I loved. After losing my studio space and developing an allergy to the lead fumes, I had to give it up. I do miss it dearly. I started drawing again about 4 years ago, My husband gave me an iPad and a pencil and it took off from there. I met some Free Art Friday Artists and that inspired me to leave free art around Atlanta. The next year, I lost my dad and I realized I wanted to draw and share my animal characters and their stories as much as possible. It’s been fun to really put my heart and soul into my art.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I have for most of my adult life actually worked with animals, teaching at Zoo Atlanta and the Georgia Aquarium. Now, by day I walk dogs and pet sit. Animals are a natural fit for my art. I love almost every animal (sorry spiders) and my knowledge of them is vast. You should always bring me to your animal trivia contests.
My tag line for my art is illustrations, whimsy and a big touch of sass. All of this fits my drawings and comics perfectly. I love to use puns in my art and to put a twist on animal behavior. I am most proud of how much I have grown over the last few years. I started with a little cat named Coconut Moe (yes- there is a real Moe- our ginger cat) and now there is a whole host of characters, including sassy food critters and monsters.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I love to make people laugh or smile. When someone stops by our booth at festivals and they smile at the stickers, prints and cards then the hard work pays off. Even if they don’t buy something, they often leave with a grin. The world is full of so much stress and I just want to bring a little joy to people. I do have a few sassy characters, like our Salty AF sticker for people to express their inner cheekiness.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I follow any artist I find inspiring, including art teachers. I also love Mark Manson- author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. I think in life, personal and business, one of the biggest lessons you should learn is what others think of you is none of your business. It’s crucial to learn to ignore negativity. If someone doesn’t like my work or me, that’s fine. We are here for a short time, why listen to people who you can not change.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.coconutmoe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coconut_moe/
Image Credits
All photos credits to me- Stacey DeHay.