Meet Dorey Kronick | Creative Director, Graphic Designer, Photographer, & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dorey Kronick and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dorey, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
After years of struggling to find a stable, meaningful, inspiring creative job with cool people, (that also paid well), I realized my dream job didn’t exist. From ages 13 to 28, I went through many different forms of employment, bosses, and industries that all left me feeling depleted, stressed, underpaid, and unfulfilled. In January 2015, I finally decided that it was up to me to create my own dream job and become my own boss doing Graphic Design, Photography, and Mixed Media Art. The leap from a full-time salary job with benefits to self-employment (with minimal experience running a business) was terrifying at the time, but I ultimately felt like I didn’t have any other choice.

It’s been a wild ride since I fully committed to owning my own creative business, but 9 years later, I’m so glad I followed my heart when I did, and I’ve never looked back.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a well-rounded Multimedia Visual Artist. I’ve dipped my hands into a lot of creative practices for as long as I can remember. I grew up surrounded by art and music in the artsy, hippie, beach town of Santa Cruz, California. At a young age, I was encouraged to paint, watercolor, collage, sculpt, sew, draw, and try any and every creative medium I could. After high school, friends suggested I look into Graphic Design, warning me that if I didn’t want to become a “starving artist,” I’d need to get comfortable with computers. I took that advice seriously and enrolled in digital media and other undergrad classes at Moorpark Community College, Cabrillo College, and eventually transferring to San Jose State University for a BA in Graphic Design. Outside of design and general education classes, I also studied photography, screen printing, mixed media, and metal sculpture along the way, which lead me to a Minor in Studio Arts.

I paid my way through school and life with scholarships, financial aid, and working nights and weekends as a waitress and counter girl at The Attic in Santa Cruz (a tea house / music venue / art gallery / community space), and later, cocktail waitressing at The Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay. I never took out any loans and received no financial assistance from family.

I graduated from SJSU during the recession in 2009, moved to live on a communal ranch in San Gregorio, and then into a shared house with a band (Battlehooch!) in San Francisco, and continued to cocktail waitress at The Rosewood Hotel, Great American Music Hall, and other places in the Bay Area to pay my bills, while freelancing as a Graphic Designer for an array of non-profits, Minted[.com], and some other startups / small businesses. I hung my art and curated group shows at local galleries, cafes, and shops around the Bay Area. I’d do photography for restaurants, bars, bands, concerts, and other clients / friends. I taught design and photography classes to 5th-9th graders in the East Bay. And in 2011, I helped found an art and music live + work space and collective, called Color Jam SF, with a few close friends.

I moved to Chicago in 2012, where it took 3 months of serious job hunting to finally land a Graphic Designer and Production Artist position at a marketing company in the suburbs. I hated the commute and long hours, so I found a new job as Graphic Designer and Photographer with Chicago health food restaurant chain, Protein Bar. I taught painting classes on the side a few times a month with Colors & Bottles, until Protein Bar promoted me to be their Style & Design Manager. The company was bought by investors, and I quickly left to start my own business (as described earlier in this interview) doing Graphic Design, Photography, and Mixed Media Art.

It wasn’t an easy career start for me, but I’ve dabbled in so many different creative arenas up to this point! It’s helped shape who I am as a creative business owner and I’m grateful for all of the fun, weird, and rad opportunities that have come my way. I’ve designed countless logos, brands, Squarespace websites, posters, signs, labels, packaging, album covers, menus, ads, t-shirts, book covers, invitations, flyers, brochures, stickers, and lots more throughout the years for big and small clients across the globe. I’ve photographed dozens of bands, musicians, engagements, weddings, families, restaurants, foods, beverages, products, plants, landscapes, etc all over America. I’ve made, sold, and donated art to and for a huge range of people, organizations, and businesses nationwide.

My creative business really took off during the pandemic, when everyone suddenly realized how important it is to have a standout and legit-looking digital presence on the internet and social media in the modern world. I almost can’t believe how much I’ve done up to this point, and it’s getting hard to be able to recap all of the highlights because there are so many!

Follow me on Instagram (@doreykronick) and check out my portfolio (doreykronick.com) to view my most recent projects and collaborations 

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
See a concert (or five!) at any of my favorite nostalgic music venues from my high school days — The Troubador, The Roxy Theatre, Whisky a Go Go, Hollywood Bowl, etc… Pop into a museum (or several!) catered to whatever it is that you like (art, history, science, etc). Peek inside some local art galleries. Hike in the hills. Catch a glimpse of the famous Hollywood sign. Take a walk along Sunset Blvd and do a little vintage shopping. Highland Park Bowl is great for a chill, fun, non-pretentious dinner / snack, cocktails, and vintage bowling. If you’re into exercise and music — hit up Dance Church for an expressive, sweaty workout. And if you have the time, a quick day or overnight trip to Malibu, Venice Beach, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, and/or just about any place else with beautiful natural settings is definitely worthwhile.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

SHOUT OUT to all of my friends who have supported me since the very beginning!

Shout out to everyone who believed in me, told me they’re proud of me, and inspired me in some way. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for all of the incredible people in my life, cheering me on.

Shout out to Fair House and all of the crazy creative friends who were my roommates there in Santa Cruz, CA in 2005-07.

Shout out to my high school friend, Mike Pfau, who told me that I needed a website and helped me build it in while we were in college in 2008.

Shout out to my childhood bestie, Angelina Santana, who introduced me to building websites on Squarespace!

Shout out to my former partner of 10 years, Jamie Stephens, who encouraged me to quit my full-time job in Chicago and do my own thing.

Shout out to every client, agency, and/or employer who has ever hired me to work on a creative project! Because of your trust and faith in me and my creative abilities, I’m able to continue to fulfill my lifelong goals, dreams, and purpose. THANK YOU!!! 💓💓💓

Website: doreykronick.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doreykronick/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doreykronick/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoreyKronickArtDesign/

Other: Society6 Print Shop: https://society6.com/doreykronick Creative Market Design & Photo Shop: https://creativemarket.com/dorey.kronick Stock Photo Shop: https://elements.envato.com/user/dorey_kronick