Born in Dillon Montana Stacia Lee Velasco (nickname Stacey) has roots in Texas, Kansas, Louisiana and currently resides in Oklahoma. In 2008 Stacia earned the title of Miss Montana Teen USA and represented her state at the national competition. 2008 was a very busy year for Stacia in addition to winning the title of Miss MT Teen USA, she won the divisional championships in singles tennis for BCHS and went on to place 4th at state. Stacia married her husband Aaron Leger in April of 2012 and had her first child, Jackson in 2019. While pregnant with her son Stacia received devastating news that her mother (Shelia Mae Hardin) was diagnosed with the terminal illness ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Shelia was known to invest her time in mentoring kids and at risk youth, hoping to help establish a better outlook on their futures. Although, a very talented illustrator and painter Shelia loved to create clay sculptures that focused on ranch life. As the months moved on, after diagnosis, her body no longer allowed her hands to create the sculptures she once loved, sparking a fire in her daughter (Stacia’s) heart. Stacia spent countless hours with her mother picking her brain on each artistic process. Being bedridden for the majority of her illness it was a safe haven for Stacia to create art in her mother’s room. Soaking in all of advice and helpful hints her mother would give her. Stacia continues to remember her mother through her artwork and hopes everyone who sees it finds the joy that she feels in creating it.
ABOUT STACIA LEE STUDIOS
ABOUT STACIA LEE STUDIOS
HIDDEN HEART IN
EVERY PIECE.
Stacia has always found art as a great way to express herself but it was in her mother’s last years where she found a deeper meaning to art and leaned into the bonding experience it created between mother and daughter. In each piece you will find a signature hidden heart to signify the echoing words of each nurse on her mother's last day….
SHELIA MAE
HARDIN
It's a bit difficult to encapsulate my mothers life into a biography- she faced significant challenges in her upbringing and was far from 'cookie cutter.' Nonetheless she was the best mother, wife, grandmother, and friend. She inspired so many.
So instead of writing about her, here are in her own words, who and what she wanted in the end. She wrote and typed these words in her journal as ALS advanced.
me and my beautiful mother!
"Today is March 20, 2020. As I write this journal, I want you kids and Kyle to know that you have made my life so complete. I love you more than anything... Raising you three girls is the best thing I ever did in my life. There is no greater reward then seeing you all do what you do today. Of all the paying jobs I had, I loved to work with kids the most. Helping others has always been important to me. I liked to do crafts, clay sculptures, painting, drawing, making quilts, crocheting, my favorite pass time was hiking and taking long walks outside. I loved to go to the YMCA to swim and use the elliptical. I loved to shop for sales, collecting toys for the Samaritans Purse Shoe Box ministries. I made over 50 shoe boxes each year for kids that never had a Christmas gift before. Each box was mailed overseas to needy children. I worked at the food bank, preparing boxes of food to hand out on Wednesdays at 1:00. I loved to shop for the 21 kids on the ranch each Christmas. I always made a home-made gift for each family as well... clay ornaments for the tree, crocheted wash towels, usually made 25 platters of cookies/candies each year for friends. I loved to travel and be adventurous, trying new things was exciting... My wish for my grandkids is that they know how much we love them. It's most important that they know about Jesus Christ when they are old enough to understand. Teach them about how he sacrificed his life to take away our sins. That they can always turn to God with any problem in prayer. Teach them that they never have to be afraid when they are alone because they have angels like me with them in their hearts always. Angels will keep them safe and really love them. Follow the things they know are right….. even if others don't do it... they should... I love you all so much...
Her journal in her own writing until she turned to typing as als advanced.
Her drawing of aaron (husband) JAck (son) and me!
"Today is March 20, 2020. As I write this journal, I want you kids and Kyle to know that you have made my life so complete. I love you more than anything... Raising you three girls is the best thing I ever did in my life. There is no greater reward then seeing you all do what you do today. Of all the paying jobs I had, I loved to work with kids the most. Helping others has always been important to me. I liked to do crafts, clay sculptures, painting, drawing, making quilts, crocheting, my favorite pass time was hiking and taking long walks outside. I loved to go to the YMCA to swim and use the elliptical. I loved to shop for sales, collecting toys for the Samaritans Purse Shoe Box ministries. I made over 50 shoe boxes each year for kids that never had a Christmas gift before. Each box was mailed overseas to needy children. I worked at the food bank, preparing boxes of food to hand out on Wednesdays at 1:00. I loved to shop for the 21 kids on the ranch each Christmas. I always made a home-made gift for each family as well... clay ornaments for the tree, crocheted wash towels, usually made 25 platters of cookies/candies each year for friends. I loved to travel and be adventurous, trying new things was exciting...
Her journal in her own writing until she turned to typing as als advanced.
Her drawing of aaron (husband) JAck (son) and me!
My wish for my grandkids is that they know how much we love them. It's most important that they know about Jesus Christ when they are old enough to understand. Teach them about how he sacrificed his life to take away our sins. That they can always turn to God with any problem in prayer. Teach them that they never have to be afraid when they are alone because they have angels like me with them in their hearts always. Angels will keep them safe and really love them. Follow the things they know are right….. even if others don't do it... they should... I love you all so much...
"I share MY artwork and design with others so they too can find a calming outlet in such unsteady times. "
SLS
DESIGNS
SLS
DESIGNS
SLS
DESIGNS
