About Valerie

I am a self-taught artist living in Illinois with two charming daughters, our dog Gus (the big yellow dude), and a loving, supportive husband. I have been involved with the arts pretty much all my life, but my journey has led me to discover that painting and drawing are my true passion.

I like working in a variety of mediums including ink, colored pencil, pastels, and acrylics. My inspiration comes from nature, architecture, music, theater – inspiration is everywhere if your eyes and ears are open. I love traveling to new places and seeing how it reflects in my work.

Creativity is what fuels my heart and soul – it is, in a sense, spirit and energy. I cannot imagine a day when I wake up and don’t have the freedom to create. It's great fun to start a piece and see where it will lead.I believe a piece of art should take you down a path – a path that always means different things for each person. Art is what your soul tells you it is.

I am a member of he Chicago Artist Coalition, and DuPage and Naperville art leagues.

In art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine.

– Ralph Waldo Emerson