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Heather Valdez lives in Loudoun County after moving from Texas in 2001. She finds interest and beauty in the misplaced, the discarded, and the unconventional: that which doesn't fit or conform is what attracts her eye. Abstraction, unusual patterns and sizes, and odd humor guide her work. Her artistic influences include Alexander Calder, Gerhart Richter, Georgia O'Keeffe, Hieronymus Bosch, and Bertolt Brecht. She studied set and costume design while earning a BA from Austin College. She continued to create art (drawing, painting, paper collage, and sculpture) while pursuing careers in acting, directing, and teaching. After taking a workshop about Gerhart Richter from Kaeley Boyle, Valdez realized she had finally found her medium. After a weekend workshop with Jan-Willem Boer, Valdez began painting regularly and now studies weekly with Judith Thompson. She works primarily in oil on canvas in Leesburg and Lincoln.
