After living all over the country, Valerie now calls Cary, North Carolina her home. She moved here about 6 years ago, loves the area, and hopes she will never have to move again. With almost 40 years of experience in clay, her work is organic and free flowing, both in form and in glazing. Primarily a hand-builder, she makes both functional and sculptural pieces. She loves the texture and color of the clay and feels the creating process is a partnership between the artist and the clay. What continues to attract her to the medium is the feel of the clay, the instant gratification of watching the form take shape, and the transformation it goes thru from start to finish. Some days you tell the clay what it will become and other days it tells you. Valerie is also the studio manager at the Cary Art Center and teaches classes too.