Summer time in Slovenia is Green! View from the Highway between Bled and Ljubljana.

What’s your favorite place to enjoy greenery?

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Traveler Interview:  Stacy Peterson, Illustrator

Have you noticed the new illustrated header at the top of our blog that showcases some of our favorite travel destinations? 

This art is the creation of Stacy Peterson, illustrator and long-time friend.

Stacy grew up in Storm Lake, Iowa before moving to Texas in second grade. While in Texas with her family,  Stacy lived in Victoria, near Padre Island, along the clay banks of the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, and in the dusty oil town of Odessa. 

Always doodling and drawing pictures, Stacy’s mother encouraged her artistic development by enrolling her in art classes. After high school, Stacy majored in Advertising Design at the Art Institute of Houston.

For nearly twenty years, Stacy worked as an art director at leading global ad agencies – traveling frequently to and living in cities like Los Angeles, Houston and New York City.  (Stacy and I first became friends working together at a New York agency.)

After having her first child, Stacy started compiling an illustration portfolio. Her playful images soon attracted clients like Mattel and American Girl.

Book publishers also noticed Stacy’s work, contracting her to illustrate books aimed at girls and tweens.

 Madonna hired Stacy to illustrate her book, The English Roses Too Good To Be True.

Over the years, Stacy has illustrated dozens of books, as well as greeting cards, packaging, games and an  iPhone app.

Stacy currently lives in Texas with her two children, Jack and Hannah but works with clients around the world.

View some of Stacy’s illustrations here  and here.  

We love Stacy’s work and were interested to learn more about her insights on travel and illustration.

Lavender Fields, Texas Hill Country

The Jones:  What Inspires You to Travel?

Stacy:  What inspires me most to travel is to see new things – sort of like eye candy. Everything is different – the colors, the architecture, the landscape… it’s wonderful to just take it all in.

I currently work out of my home so I find traveling very inspirational. Once home from a trip, I always have a fresh, new perspective.               

You’ve lived in several parts of Texas, upstate New York and New York City.  How did you get to “know” a new city when you moved there?   

Stacy:  When I moved to a new city, the moves were mainly through a  job relocation. Once there, usually someone work related would help me get acquainted. On my own though, I usually start with the local museums and parks.

Now that I have children, I find myself out at more and more sports events. I am also a map person. I love to study them to get a bird’s eye view of what it’s like.

What is your favorite destination?  Why? 

Stacy:    My favorite place to visit is New York City. There is no place like it. It’s amazing. But — I also love the hill country between Austin and San Antonio. It’s a charming place to visit with and without children. They have great B&B’s, wineries, shopping, food, plus plenty of historical and educational things to do too.

Absolut Charm B & B, Fredericksburg, Texas

Where do you get inspiration for your illustrations?

Stacy:    I think much of my inspiration comes from some of my favorite illustrators growing up like: Art Seiden, Miroslav Sasek, Alice & Martin Provensen and Mary Blair.

I also loved mid-century design. The clean, strong graphics of the 50’s & 60’s were a strong influence. I remember a graphic print dress I LOVED that had this great groovy cat pattern in orange and yellow. So I still am influenced by my youth.

And, speaking of youth, my children inspire me every day!

 It’s a bat cave where you can witness millions of bats coming out of their cave to feed. It’s between Luckenbach and Fredericksburg, Texas.

It was amazing! We even saw an albino bat! 

Bats emerge nightly from the Old Tunnel WMA

Do you think that travel is important?  

Stacy:    Yes, even if on a budget.

From your travels, do you have a practice or insight that makes your travel experiences more enjoyable?   

Stacy:    I find if I take the time to do a little research – it helps. For example, the hotel I stayed in Fredericksburg, Texas with the kids recently had free s ’mores that you could roast in the outdoor fireplace. It helped me make the final decision to stay there. And it turned out to be a good move. The kids loved it — and the hot tub too. It was relaxing after a busy day of sightseeing.

All images are © Stacy Peterson.  To see Stacy’s latest illustrations, “like” the Stacy Peterson page on Facebook.    

We enjoy learning about other people’s travel discoveries as much as making our own.         

What benefit of travel is most meaningful to you?  Please share in comments.      

Read More Traveler Interviews:    

• “I never knew I could enjoy life so much without electricity …” A Travel Chat with a southeastern Missouri Attorney. 
•  “Travel means letting go and getting outside of your normal, stressful life.” A Travel Chat with a Lifestyle Coach.
• “When I travel, my camera is with me all day.” A Travel Chat with an Art Photographer. 
• “I want my kids to see that there is a bigger world out there.” A Travel Chat with our Blog Designer.

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As much as we love to travel, sometimes it’s nice to be home, sitting on the balcony, enjoying the view of the Missouri River and downtown Kansas City, Missouri  at sunset.

What’s your favorite spot to end your day?

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In his book A History of the World in 6 Glasses
author Tom Standage explores the role of six beverages throughout the course of history.   From the Stone Age to the twenty-first century, Standage shares the stories of coffee, tea, beer, wine, spirits and cola and their global influence.

We like to try new beverages and experience the local version of our favorite drinks when we travel.  Cafes, wineries, bars or even vending machines do more than quench our thirst.  They give us insight into the local people and culture.   

Coffee to martinis and tea to tiki drinks, we had fun drinking throughout the United States and around the world in 2011.   

Our favorites beverages from 2011 travels:

The latte at Café Medici in Austin, Texas is a work of art

Trying to learn the secret to “The World’s Best Martini” at Naughty Nuri’s in Bali

The “Bubbles” flight at Chicago’s Bin 36

Delicious  “Devon White Cream Tea” in Illfracombe, England  

JoJo serves Julie’s Organic Margaritas and Tri-Pepper Salsa in Homer, Alaska

On a tour of the Talisker Distillery on Scotland’s Isle of Skye we learned how water, barley and peat are key ingredients

9:30 am was early for tasting Scotland’s famous single malt whiskies

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has its own unique Pinot Noir wine glass.

“Dragon Tea”, an in-room perk at the Renaissance Harbour View Hotel in Hong Kong   

Tiki drinks with a floating band in the Fairmont San Francisco‘s Tonga Room   

The waiters are pros at creating Flaming Spanish Coffee at Huber’s in Portland, Oregon

Enjoying a Tennent’s at the Lucky Horse Shoe Pub in Glasgow, Scotland

Cranberry Dram at the St. Paul’s Grill

The coffee and tea tasting in Bali featured Luwak coffee

Luwaks are small animals that eat and digest the coffee beans before they are roasted.

Thirst-quenching citrus-juice and soda beverage in Zama, Japan

What’s your favorite beverage?  Where did you enjoy it in 2011?

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