“I was born in Belgium, Brussels, & moved around a lot as a kid.
My dad was an international business management consultant. I lived in Belgium, Australia, Spain & England & then we eventually settled in North Carolina. So I usually say I’m from North Carolina.
I came out to Chicago chasing a dream of being an artist. I always wanted to do something with art, fashion or photography - that was always my goal. I moved out here with a boyfriend who was NOT the right fit for me. I broke up with him within the first year, but I decided to be a brave person & stick it out, living in a state with no family, no friends, I didn’t know anybody. I lasted in the city for two years & then moved to the suburbs. I lived in Bloomingdale for 4 years just saving money. I barely knew about Elgin, but wanted something homy & historical. My then boyfriend, now husband, let me pick our first house; a 1910 Victorian that I’m obsessed with. We got married inside our house on the back porch. The house has such great details; really rail thin pine floors & beautiful molding.
I started picking up a camera probably six years ago. A lot of my inspiration is from my dad who studied photography at New York University when he first came over from Chile. I still have all his books from NYU. I had spent 15 years modeling & then another 5 years styling, so going behind the camera felt like a natural progression. I’ve always wanted to make art, but I also really enjoy the business & organization part too. Photography has given me the opportunity to do both & also have a positive social impact, which is really important to me.
“I had a Positive Impact for Profit gallery in Bloomingdale for two years where I consigned local artists, taught them how to build their portfolio, make a business card, create a website & taught them how to get gigs on their own. I basically did representation for them, booked them at different places & critiqued their work. We worked a lot with non-for-profits, with people who had schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, brain behaviors, suicide prevention, & also the homeless in Chicago to show what art & photography can do for your mind, body & mental health & how people with these various conditions can find peace in that.
The gallery was called Peace of Art. We promoted peace, we promoted kindness, we promoted individuality with creativity, because at my core that’s who I am.
Trying to get a job after the pandemic, after the gallery was done, I haven’t fit in yet. I haven’t found that place again. But honestly, for myself, in this life right now, I am my own boss. I just think I can do this myself.
The other day I overheard my husband tell a friend that I was basically consulting now, which made me think of my dad. I’ve always wanted to be like my dad. He was a person who took all his skills, abilities & everything he learned & used it all to help others. That’s always what I want to do - help others. I feel my dad’s spirit still guiding me, 4 years later after he’s gone. I just appreciate my roots so much.
Coming from a really small town in North Carolina, I think there were around 9,000 people, everything was small. My high school class had 23 kids. If I got a haircut, you best bet everybody knew I got a haircut. Or if my parents got into a fight, everybody knew it. But it also meant the community was really tight knit. So when we wanted to do something, everyone was involved. Want to build a soccer field? What can everyone do to help?
“Now as an adult, I find myself wanting to do the same thing. Right now in this time & space, I just want to be that Can-Do attitude for Elgin. That’s why I like getting involved with community events like photographing the farmers market or the night with the EPD. I like seeing the integration of the police department with the community & small businesses working together, just being a bigger family, making it better for everyone. That’s what I want to give my time and energy to.”
Jennifer Mroz is a photographer and mixed media artist living here in Elgin, IL.
Follow & connect with her on Instagram @GingerPeachTree & at GingerPeachTree.com