Welcome to My Creative World!

Welcome! I'm Valerie. I'm an artist, photographer and Art Wellness Coach living in the beautiful Santa Cruz Mountains of California.

Creativity has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Whether I'm painting a landscape, photographing wildlife, working on a handmade creation or exploring somewhere new, I'm always finding inspiration in the world around me.

I started this journal as a place to share a little more of my creative life. You'll find stories behind my artwork, works in progress, photography adventures, discoveries from nature and the occasional peek inside my studio.

I also believe creativity offers something beyond the finished artwork. It gives us opportunities to slow down, reconnect with ourselves and find moments of calm and wonder in our stressful and overwhelming world. That's a big part of what inspires my Creative Calm tutorials and Art Wellness workshops.

I'm glad you're here, and I hope you'll enjoy following along as I share what I'm creating, discovering and learning along the way.