Raised in Miami, FL, Valerie Lennon was surrounded by bright color, planting the seeds for the bright hues in her paintings. Although an education major, she pursued art courses both during and after college. She has taken classes at the Atlanta College of Art, and taken workshops from many prominent artists in Atlanta, Santa Fe and New York. Valerie has over forty juried, group and one-man exhibitions to her credit. Her paintings have been published in several magazines including Southern Living and Veranda Magazine. Valerie Lennon’s painted world is animated with intense hues which challenge the imagination. Lennon’s fondness for travel has provided her with recollection and motivation for much of her art. Visually dynamic are these watercolors and acrylic paintings, which she creates through personal interpretation and emotion. Recalling the visionary quality and imaginations of such artists as Matisse, Dufy, and Derain, Valerie Lennon’s tone seems to be culled from these early pictorial sources. The vibrant and intense colors of these 20th century fauvists are a great source of inspiration to her. In Valerie Lennon’s florals and peoplescapes, she interprets, not illustrates. Slightly abstracted, her still life paintings capture the allure of the earth and evoke feelings of warmth. Noted for the celebratory scenes she paints; colors and shapes describe the figures, but the viewer is allowed to provide the personalities, making it everybody’s party. Artist’s Statement: I am an artist. I am a conceptual expressionist. I am a painter that creates my ideas through color, shape, and composition. My artistic strength is my choice and use of color. I spread these colors on my canvas using varying values and shape and line. I use the paint transparent and opaque to create these shapes and planes. As I enter the creative exploration of painting I think about varying brush strokes, juicy application of paint and sizzling complements of color.In the beginning I think little of my subject, losing myself in this very challenging process. All of these concepts help me to create my figurative florals and landscapes, which are unique to me. My figurative paintings are stories, memories, and moments in time. I am inspired by Matisse who spoke to these moments in his masterpieces with features not being the important part of painting. I let you, the observer, be a part of the creative process using your unique imagination.I want my paintings to give joy, humor, and happiness. I want to feel these emotions upon viewing the art in my home.