WHIRLING DERVISH OF CREATIVITY

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June 4, 2025

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Notre Dame Prep alum is thriving now in a world located at the "intersection of creativity and leadership," a world that began in a high school that encouraged her to see learning as a lifelong process and that creativity could be a serious and valid pursuit.

For decades, the art scene in New York City has been the center of the art world writ large, particularly after World War II when a destabilized Europe led the city to usurp Paris as the commercial center of the international art business. 

Since then, New York has been what many say is a living, breathing organism fueled by experimentation, self reliance and thousands of creatives whose only goal in life was artistic innovation. 

But goals and accomplishments diverge wildly for many — dare we say most — artists who eventually are chewed up and spit out by this very competitive and demanding city.

Which is why 2001 Notre Dame Prep alum and recent NYC resident Stephanie Ketty's career so far has been such a remarkable lesson in perseverance and hard work. A career driven by that very unique combination of creativity, collaboration and enough business sense to rival many who work downtown on Wall Street.

Analytical and emotional

"Since graduating from Notre Dame Prep, I’ve built a career that truly lives between the lines of fine art and the business of art," said Ketty, who recently checked in with her high school alma mater. "After completing my education, which included majors in art and psychology from Western Michigan University, I moved to New York City where I developed a painting practice that was grounded in emotional abstraction and conceptual form." 

Ketty's art has been a regular feature in both solo and group exhibitions, most recently during an artist residency at NoMo SoHo in New York as well as in a featured seven-piece show during LA Design Week with Basic.Space at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. She's also had solo shows in Kalamazoo and Miami Beach.

Her art has been an integral part of nearly all of Ketty's life, serving, she says, as a medium to explore and express the complexities of human emotion and experience. 

"My work primarily involves painting, where I utilize expressive flourishes of color and texture, gestural shapes and conceptual forms to convey narratives that resonate on both personal and communal levels," she said. "And living in New York City has profoundly influenced my artistic perspective, providing a vibrant backdrop that continually inspired my creations."

Even as she's creating her colorful and expansive canvases in studio, Ketty also serves as vice president of global business development at BFA, an international leader in event photography, videography and social media services, with headquarters in New York City and Los Angeles.

"I help lead business strategy, partnerships and creative growth at the company," she said. "It’s a unique balance — the analytical and the emotional — and I’m grateful to live at such an intersection of creativity and leadership. This role also allows me to support fellow artists and contribute to dynamic cultural landscapes from coast to coast." 

Sense of community at NDP

She notes that whether in the studio or in the boardroom, her goal is to create space — for reflection, for innovation and for connection to community.

It's a mantra that began for her at Notre Dame Prep.

"NDP gave me a foundation in curiosity, discipline and compassion — values that have carried through every chapter of my life," she said. "It was the first place I was truly encouraged to see learning as a lifelong process, and where I began to understand how creativity could be a serious and valid pursuit."

That sense of community at Notre Dame Prep, she said  — both in and out of the classroom — helped her understand the value of collaboration and mentorship. 

"Those lessons shaped how I engage with others today, whether I'm working with emerging artists or leading a strategic initiative at BFA.

"Most importantly, my time at NDP instilled a quiet confidence — the belief that with integrity, hard work and imagination, you can chart your own path," she adds. "The school’s emphasis on spirituality and faith also grounded me, providing a strong moral compass and a sense of purpose that continues to guide me on my personal and professional journey."

Ketty still recalls the atmosphere in art class in high school.

"It was one of the first places I felt fully free to experiment and express myself," she said. "That room was both a sanctuary and a workshop, and I’m incredibly grateful to the faculty who nurtured that creative spark."

While Ketty's creative spark continues to burn brightly, it's not in New York City anymore, at least not physically.

After spending 15 years in New York, Stephanie recently relocated to Portland, Oregon, with her boyfriend, Bob Williams, who’s also from Michigan. The two dated in college and reconnected nearly two years ago. She’s continuing her work remotely and is still at BFA, developing West Coast business with a new focus on community building and experiences for the company.

"Living on the West Coast has been an incredible experience," she said. "We enjoy hiking with our dog, and I've also found the time and space to further develop and deepen my art practice."

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.