Biography

Born in Stoke-on-Trent and studied Textile design at Croydon College of Art. Following college, she spent a graduate year in Sweden at the art studios of Gustavsberg’s ceramics factory. After Sweden Valerie moved to Paris where she worked at Trianon Press on the production of facsimile editions of the works of William Blake and Samuel Palmer.  

Valerie returned to the UK to take a post graduate Diploma in Art Therapy at St Albans College of Art, following which she practiced for many years as an art therapist in mental health. This work was extremely emotionally challenging so in between these posts she found time for more travelling, including long periods in Israel and Spain. In 1984 she settled in Suffolk with a young family where she was able to return to her own creative work.

 Initially Valerie’s work concentrated on painted screens and murals to commission, but the exciting discovery of the freedom of monoprint and collagraph techniques in printmaking led to a complete change of direction. She began to experiment with print, collage and mixed media, creating works which have an intangible dream like quality radiating colour warmth and humour. In many of these Valerie returns to an exploration of the interior landscapes of the mind, a bridge between her art therapy days and the result of a vivid dream world.

Valerie is a member of the Suffolk Crafts Society, the Sudbourne Park Print Group, and Artworks. She draws her inspiration from many sources: Her passionate love of travel and the people & places encountered on these journeys; ancient & modern theatre, and her own intangible world of dreams. She runs various classes and creative workshops over East Anglia. Valerie has exhibited widely both nationally and internationally and her works are in private and public collections around the world.