Cover Artist – Anna DeStefano

Cover Artist – Anna DeStefano Anna Writes and her Affirmation Photography™ Inspires...

You might not expect a Georgia Tech honors graduate to build a successful career as a professional artist, but Anna DeStefano has found a way to do just that. After growing up on the South Carolina and Georgia coasts and then moving to Atlanta for college, she spent a decade working in Big Six consulting and Corporate IT, specializing as a senior technical writer. “Get a job where you can make a nice living,” her daddy told her. And she has. Just not for the last twenty years the way her father would have expected. People who excel at technical things aren’t typically seen as creatives. But Anna is not typical. And she has been blessed with one opportunity after another to lean into her creative side and watch it flourish, first as a best-selling novelist and now as an award-winning, fine art photographer. She married her college sweetheart, Andrew, right after graduation. When their son, James, came along it was a game changer for Anna. “I was determined to be as involved in his life as I could, so I left my corporate life behind and shifted my writing in a creative direction. I’ve always loved small towns, family connections and finding the good in every day—so I began telling stories that delivered that message. A cathartic, healing message that leaves the reader inspired,” she shared during our recent visit. And so began a stayat-home mom’s publishing journey. Her twenty-seven novel career started with Harlequin and Silhouette Romance. More recently she’s written larger, more mainstream novels for several New York publishers, all of them uplifting stories set in small towns, celebrating the enduring strength of families. Anna often escaped to Rabun County’s mountains to plot or finish a novel. Sylvan Falls Mill near the lovely Wolffork Valley was a favorite destination. A quiet bed and breakfast nestled beside a beautiful waterfall was the perfect retreat, immersing her in the nature that has been an inspiration her whole life. These visits started a love affair with our hills and valleys that she now calls home.

The DeStefano family began their move to the North Georgia mountains in 2017. By then, Anna’s enthusiasm for hiking and exploring outdoors was thriving. Her connection to nature evolved into a passion for sharing the affirmation she found there. By the time her family settled permanently in North Habersham county near Tallulah Gorge, her “visual storytelling” had progressed from making photographs with her phone to using a simple point and shoot camera to mastering her first professional system. Image after image, it took her breath away—the magic she could convey with a single capture. From childhood, Anna’s instinct has been to see the silver lining in things. She’d found a new way to express that healing gift to others. Today, she considers the work she does behind the lens to be her “poetry.” With each image, she tempts you to pause for a moment. If you smile, breathe a little easier and feel hopeful as a result, her job is done. If she had to describe a central theme to her visual art, it would be “healing.” An aesthetic that hasn’t gone unnoticed. Her work has been featured by the National Wildlife Federation, the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, and Friends of Georgia Parks

and Historic Sites, to name a few. She’s been shown in numerous Atlanta galleries and art centers, including the Hudgens Center for Art and Learning, the Callanwolde Fine Art Center, and the Chatahoochee Nature Center. When an art consultant offered to place her soft-focus flower images in Emory Healthcare spaces throughout Atlanta, Anna was thrilled. The opportunity for her work to benefit hospital patients and staff was the icing on the cake.

As with her writing, she has no “formal” photography education other than attending workshops and working with professionals and more-experienced mentors. Anna trains tirelessly at her craft, though. Her analytical, problem-solving background helps tremendously. She takes pride in being a self-taught artist, as she learns every day how to better create visual stories that touch a viewer’s soul. Life is a series of discoveries, she’s found. The key to a more balanced existence is slowing down to savor each moment. She hopes to help you do just that. “When a creative person finds an outlet where she can convey her message, whatever it is, that’s a phenomenal opportunity. It’s a leap of faith for an artist to share

her gift. When the world embraces that offering, everyone wins. I’m inspired to work even harder to evolve my skills and my voice. As a result, hopefully, the message I share will release even more joy into the world.”

Anna is a passionate person. Her enthusiasm is infectious, yet so is her calm nature. Twenty-five years ago, she discovered Yoga when she was pregnant with her son. She’s made it a daily practice ever since. The meditation she incorporates into her self-care led to publishing meditation guides that pair affirmational thoughts and quotes with her images—moments of peace to brighten your day. She shares short mindfulness videos on her blog and social media pages, offering reminders of life’s inherent beauty. In this busy world, we seem to run non-stop. Our daily work offers little time for reflection. Anna’s art features breath-taking moments that point us toward gratefulness. Anna’s photography is displayed at Timpson Creek Gallery west of Clayton, Georgia, near Lake Burton. You will find floral masterpieces there, like the Clematis on our cover, images of rusty, dusty vintage automobiles, modern abstracts, traditional landscapes and portraits of wildlife native to our area. Whatever tempts a viewer to look deeper and appreciate the blessings surrounding us. Anna prints her Affirmation Photography™ on canvas, acrylic and metal, in whatever size and medium promotes wellbeing in your space. “It still humbles me, each time one of my images becomes an inspiration for someone,” she expressed. Her website www. affirmationphotography.com showcases her photography. Her novels can be found on Amazon (search Anna DeStefano), or you can learn more about them at www.annawrites.com. And look for her P.S. (Post Script) articles regularly, at the end of our very own Georgia Mountain Laurel.