Valerie's Art Studio

VALERIE R. HOSTE

Training students to see like an artist, rather than just teaching them to draw, is Valerie’s gift. She has 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 to creating beautiful works of art that capture the true likeness of their subject matter,” says Valerie.

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 realistic graphite pencil renderings to colored pencil paintings to watercolor basics to Zentangling. 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 Atlanta, Georgia and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She now lives in Port Huron, Michigan with a winter home in Vero Beach, Florida.

In another life, Valerie worked in the legal field, resort management, database design, public relations and marketing; and earned a degree in business and communications. In addition, she took a month off and traveled the United States via Amtrak trains. 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 should take priority in her life. Since then, she has enjoyed teaching students of all ages (current students range from ages 8 through 93) in her private home studio.

In 2022, Valerie began a new phase in her already rewarding art career; she took to the seas and teaches watercolor on cruise ships. She has travelled all around the world including France, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Australia, Figi, New Zealand, Mexico, Alaska, the Caribbean and she circumnavigated South America from Florida around Cape Horn and back through the Panama Canal.

Most recently, Valerie came across an art form called Zentangle that spoke to her due to its meditative peaceful quality. After taking the necessary steps and training, Valerie is now a Certified Zentangle Teacher.

November  2025