Valerie (Atkins) Read, born in 1957 in Windsor Ontario, her mother noticed her artistic talents as a child and enrolled her in Art Classes at St. Mary’s Academy at the age of 12. She graduated Assumption College School in 1975 with five credits in Art. From age twelve to present, Val still takes classes. Her philosophy is to never stop learning, every class; every teacher allows the opportunity to learn new techniques, new mediums and new ways to explore your creativity within. So from classes of sketching in charcoal, learning to bring in color with pastels, the fluidity of watercolor, instruction in oils, airbrushing techniques and custom airbrushing, learning and teaching acrylics, to now dabbling with plein air painting with the Windsor & Essex County Plein Air Artists, the journey is continual. Throughout the years she had sold pieces in all of the various mediums, but says the true joy is in the creating. She is currently the Artist and teaches classes for “For Art’s Sake” at Local Wineries in Essex County and Chatham Kent. She resides in Kingsville Ontario and is a board member of the Arts Society of Kingsville. She is a volunteer for the Kingsville Folk Music Festival, The Heart & Stroke Campaign, and Southwestern Ontario Gleaners. She also volunteers as the Bird Marsh Monitor of Hillmans Marsh for Environment and Climate Change Canada, Bird Studies Program. Some of her new work “Valsart” will be on display at Chiaroscuro Art Supplies and Showroom, 11 Main St. Kingsville.