About The Artist

Lives in Brussels Area, Belgium Works in California, USA valerie.vandermotten@icloud.com Bio In 2005, while I was working as Communication Manager for a company (IDDI) providing services in Medical Research, I completed a degree and presented a Master’s thesis on an analysis of the young generation as a target for museums (published on Amazon). Having been exposed to the museums world, I felt the need to explore my artistic aspirations. I then took classes in writing, painting and drawing at Belgian schools. I soon realized that painting was my definite call. In 2011, my partner and I moved to the Silicon Valley (California). I took art classes at the Pacific Art League School (Palo Alto) and at Stanford University (Palo Alto). There, I developed a series of abstract paintings and I was selected to participate in the preview exhibitions organized by the Silicon Valley Open Studios (SVOS). I also was among the finalists of the UA Competition. With the will of becoming a professional artist and a teacher, I decided to enroll for a post-baccalaureat program which would lead me to a Master in Fine Arts. Since September 2016, I am International Student at UC Berkeley Extension in Visual Arts. The program will end in August 2017. ---------------------------------------------- Artist Statement My recent work is about conveying a sense of quietness with a quest for freedom. I am inspired by the colors themselves, memories of places I have visited, nature, animals, people or daily life scenes that touch me emotionally. I usually take my own photographs and work directly from them to keep the spontaneity of painting as much as possible. Technically, I aim at achieving a balance that I want to be as fragile as the impermanence of life. I am interested in rendering a smooth relationship between sky (spirituality) and earth (life) in order to connect these two elements. The flowers are floating or flying to translate this desire of freedom. I define myself as an expressive abstract and figurative painter, positively engaged to bring poetry to life.