Born and raised in Iowa, Valerie grew up surrounded by farms and animals. At an early age she developed a fascination with
cows that she carried with her through college while studying art at Bradley University and business at The University of Iowa.
Immersed in the “urban landscape” while in college Valerie began painting cows void of their usual rural surroundings like she then
found herself. 20 years later her paintings still isolate individual cows and their barnyard friends from the herd in her original signature style, showing the character of each of “the girls & friends” against a vivid
background with an absence of location. Valerie’s original works range from a few feet on canvas
to 25+ foot murals on the sides of buildings and barns.
Personally meeting each animal is one of the hallmarks of Valerie’s work. She visits “the girls & friends” in fields around the world, naming
each animal after the actual animal studied in the field. If the animal is unnamed, Valerie chooses a name, often naming them for people
who have influenced her.
Valerie operates Steel Cow with her husband Josh, and sons Edison, Harrison and Ellison, and studio dogs Nan and Hank,
located in a renovated historic family building in beautiful Northeast Iowa. Valerie's original paintings and Steel Cow products can be found in art and design collections worldwide.