About Valerie
THE ARTIST – VALERIE R. HOSTE
Training students to see like an artist, rather than just teaching them to draw, is Valerie’s gift. She is a self-taught artist who developed simple techniques and tools to help anyone learn to draw realistically. Her students begin with the basics and grow to amaze themselves. “I love watching my students transform from thinking they can’t draw at all to creating beautiful works of art that capture the true likeness of their subject matter,” says Valerie.
Hundreds of students have experienced Valerie’s popular Free College Day workshops over the past five years. Dozens signed up for painting and drawing classes in Valerie’s home. In 2006 she launched Valerie’s Art Studio and moved to her current Port Huron location in 2010. In recent years, Valerie’s artistic pursuits have taken many forms, from rock paintings to pencil renderings to mural designs to colored pencil paintings. Her specialties include hand-drawn life-like portraits of people and pets.
Background:
Valerie’s love for art began in childhood and continues to grow in strength and spirit. She was born in Monroe, Michigan and has lived in Altlanta, Georgia; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Chicago, Illinois and Port Huron, Michigan. Her travel experiences include France, Mexico, Manitoulin Island, Alaska, the Bahamas, Massachusetts, and in addition she took a month off and travelled the United States via Amtrak trains.
Valerie worked in law, resort management, database design, public relations and marketing; and earned a degree in business and communications. After successfully climbing the corporate ladder for 30 years, some life-changing events moved her to take pause. And at this point, she realized pursuing her passions for art and drawing should take priority in her life.
2017