Sophomore Kelly Peloza’s photography skills aren’t the only thing on the rise. Peloza developed a vegan cookbook entitled "The Vegan Cookie Connoisseur" published by Skyhorse Publishing in New York, and she’s just begun book signings in Wisconsin and New York.
Peloza became a vegan as a freshman in high school and began writing the book at age 16. In addition to testing and perfecting each of the 140+ recipes, Peloza is the book’s photographer.
While her high school didn’t offer photography classes, Illinois-native Peloza didn’t let that stop her.
"I taught myself," said Peloza, "though I continue to learn new skills."
At MIAD, technical and creative skills are honed immediately, with intense focus during sophomore year. Students explore photographic processes, from up-to-the-minute to hundred-year-old techniques, through three components: taking the image (lighting, staging, finding and capturing an image), manipulating the image (developing negatives, balancing color, making alterations through Photoshop) and outputting the image (traditional black & white printing, modern digital printing, experimental/non-traditional techniques).
When she’s not in class or developing innovative recipes, Peloza also maintains a food blog at www.vegancookies.wordpress.com.
You can read more about Peloza and see some of her recipes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel .
As for her future goals, Peloza said she would like to continue writing books and maybe open a vegan bakery.
Copies of "The Vegan Cookie Connoisseur" are available on Peloza’s blog, or at her next local book signing.
The community had an opportunity to meet Peloza and sample her recipes on November 28 at Boswell Book Company (2559 N. Downer Ave).
