ARTIST STATEMENT
I work with the premise that there is an energy which animates the physical world. My work is a search to bring this consciousness into the material tactile dimension. I am focused on offering a connection or doorway to our inner world which I relate to as a fluid subtle state of being.
Currently my attention is drawn to translating this sensation into sculptures and installations which explore the movement between the material and immaterial worlds. Meditative states inform my work and my intention is to have the work shift the energy of place and our understanding of our deeper selves within space.
My work consists of sculptures, installations, and murals. I primarily use mosaic glass medium to articulate the energy I am wanting to translate into the physical form. Mosaic is a static medium which I attempt to make feel flowing and soft. This tension is always present in my work and color and line are extremely important to depict this in my visual language.
BIOGRAPHY
Valerie graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute, where she majored in painting and drawing. She moved to China to study the Chinese language and Chinese painting. She received a certificate in Chinese painting in 1992. Her art career took her to Hong Kong where she trained with British artists and specialized in mosaics. While in Hong Kong Valerie studied Asian culture and obtained her Master’s degree from the University of Hong Kong in 1999. Valerie has worked on projects in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, India, and the United States. She currently works in her studio located in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.