Laura Vae Gatz

Laura Vae Gatz grew up in Urbana, surrounded by the flat country and cornfields of central Illinois. She attended Valparaiso University and created her own major: Photographic and Interpersonal Communication. She also minored in German, Geography and Psychology. Laura says, "Basically I like to learn; and I’ve discovered that everything interests me. That is still true today. Put me in a new situation or show me something I’ve never seen and I’m happy, excited and content. Put me in a situation where everything is always the same, and I get itchy feet."

Over the years Laura has moved a lot. She lived in Santa Barbara, California, while attending Brooks Institute of Photography, then moved to Traverse City, Michigan, to work for a commercial photographer. She later moved to Chicago, Illinois to work for a graphic design and photography studio located close to downtown Chicago, a block from Greek Town. She then started her career with Kinko's and moved with them to Loveland, Colorado, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Since then she's also lived in Denver, Colorado, Dallas, Texas, and Arcadia Michigan. She was married in 2012, to Rob DeLanoy, and they have moved to Caledonia, Michigan in the Grand Rapids area. Although she and her husband would prefer to be footloose and fancy free and not own a house, they moved to Grand Rapids to be close to her husband’s children which they know is exactly where The Lord wants them to be.

Laura has explored all 7 continents and has traveled to both poles. Although she has no big travel plans on the horizon, she knows that if she keeps her heart and mind open to God’s calling, that He will use her photography and writing skills to bless others.