My love affair with Historic Homes

"Let History Matter", 2010, Mixed media and oil on collage base by Valerie Hebert

I am so in love with old homes. I love their character, the stories they hold within their quiet walls, and the beauty they bring to a neighborhood, especially when they are dearly loved and cared for.

"History Speaks" 2010, mixed media and oil on collage base by Valerie Hebert. 

For the past many years, I have been invited to "Plein Air Paint" at our town's Historic Home Tour, which always takes place on Mother's Day. It is a wildly popular event, and a wonderful way to spend the day with your mom. 

"Hughes Home" 2011, mixed media and oil on collage base by Valerie Hebert

My paintings are well received, and many Coronado historic home owners now have my original paintings - of their homes! - hanging inside their beautiful homes. People will often commission me to paint their homes when they see my work during the tour. This touches my heart deeply. 

"Past Perfect", 2012, mixed media and oil on collage base by Valerie Hebert. This is my home! 

Last year, my beloved Coronado home (in the painting above) was on the tour. Of course, this painting is very special to me. It is near and dear to my heart, and I will treasure this painting always. We thought last year we would need to sell our home, but we didn't have to after all. What a gift this is, to know we will once again be able to return to our beloved home, and reside there, a place where my heart finds peace and care. (thank you, God)

If you would like to know more about the Historic Home Tour in Coronado, please visit this link. Look for me outside one of the homes. I will be the one in the garden with the easel and the paint, and doing what makes my heart so happy... painting those beloved historic homes :o)

x, Val

Butter and Eggs Parade and a Birthday Today!

We are wishing a very Big Happy Birthday to my sweet son, Drew, who is 17 years old today!!! He is still up in beautiful Petaluma, where we will travel this weekend to see him and celebrate this momentous day, his 17th anniversary. Wow... 

In 2 weeks, my son Kyle will turn 15... he was my Mother's Day gift the year he was born, and has been each year since. I love the men in my life, but these three are the most special, and make my heart so happy. We are all doing so amazingly well. God is so good to us. (For a recent update on Drew, please click here, and Kyle, here)

"Begin" by me, Valerie Hebert. Also called "Cheeky Chickens in a White Fenced Farm" :o)

And, in an extra exciting celebration, this weekend is the Butter and Egg Days and Parade and Festival in Petaluma, CA! All the men in my family are actually O.K. with going to this parade! I understand there will be lots and lots of chickens, lamas, cows, sheep. It is right up my alley! I promise LOTS of pictures!

Happiness to you and yours...
x, Val

Swim, Walk, Grow...

My new paintings all have words <suggesting action> incorporated into the body of the work...

Swimming to find our way through the murky places in life...

Walking the path that God calls us to...

Growing even though we may resist, and realizing it's the right and true choice...

I love what I'm seeing in my work now, and the renewed energy that Flora Bowley's Bloom True class has brought to my paintings. I highly recommend this class. It's a way to approach your art and your life with new vitality, and energy. I think it has truly changed me...

x, Val