Today, Valerie resides in Claremore, Oklahoma. She primarily works with acrylics, but still occasionally paints with oil. She is predominately self-taught, but has picked up new art techniques from many other professional artists along the way.

In 2021, Valerie completed 9 murals for the City of Collinsville in Oklahoma. Eight of those murals are on utility boxes along Main Street in Collinsville. One mural is of a large butterfly on a garage door in the City Plaza.

Valerie is also an instructor of fine art. She believes that all things are created uniquely. As she instructs others, she notices that each individual sees things differently. She explains “We can all be drawing the same subject, but each person’s rendition is totally different. Oh, we all have those artist’s whose work we so admire. We try to do exactly how they instruct and it never turns out the same.” Valerie believes in encouraging each student create an art piece the way they see it and not how she sees it.

One of her favorite quotes is “A painting is never finished – it simply stops in interesting places.” by Paul Gardner.

Valerie has taught classes at Elder Care in Bartlesville since 2009. She is a past art show judge for the Verdigris Valley Art Exhibit in Independence, KS. She has judged several student art shows in the area. She is a past board member of the Bartlesville Art Association.

Today Valerie owns her own business, The Artist’s Retreat, Inc., in Collinsville, OK. where she teaches art classes to all ages.