We’re looking forward to introducing you to Renée Fleuranges-Valdes. Check out our conversation below.
Renée, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: When was the last time you felt true joy?
I’m truly blessed, and I make it my purpose to live in my joy. Last week was a perfect example—I hosted my niece, her cousin, her childhood best friend, and their six children for our annual week together at my home in Charleston. I cooked favorite family recipes (they scraped the bottom of the pots), lingered over midnight fridge raids, soaked up sun by the pool and beach, and laughed, chatted and played games well into the night. Watching the younger generation connect—electronics forgotten, laughter spilling through the house—was priceless. My heart was full of joy.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
After a fulfilling first career, I followed my heart into my second: becoming a fiber artist who tells stories with needle and thread. Quilting is my joy, my love language, and the way I share what matters most to me with the world. Through fabric, I explore my heritage, my dreams, and the beauty of everyday life.
Storytelling through fiber has become a second language, one that connects me with people from all walks of life and reminds me of art’s power to build bridges and spark understanding. I love sharing my stories in galleries and museums, allowing my art to be seen and allowing viewers an opportunity to reflect on just how my stories touch them.
That journey has now led me to a new chapter — the upcoming release of my first book, a coffee table collection of 40 artworks and the stories behind them. It’s another way to invite personal reflection and join in conversation about the simple pleasures that fill the heart with joy.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
Oh this is a loaded question! As we grow and walk this journey called life, we discover so much about ourselves—if we are quiet enough to listen.
As a young Black women coming of age in the ’70s and ’80s, I believed I had to be Superwoman — wife, mother, career woman, community activist — doing it all, having it all, loving it all. And on the outside, it looked like I did. But in reality, I was losing myself, because I never learned to say no. I gave all I had, without taking the time to fill up my own tank.
Today, I no longer carry that belief. I would tell my younger self to follow her heart, set boundaries, and choose what makes her truly happy and whole.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would tell my younger self: You are beautiful. Not “pretty for your size” — just beautiful, exactly as you are. Your worth was never tied to your body, and I’d want you to believe that with your whole heart. In fact, I would shout it from the rooftops!
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Wow, that is a heavy topic, given the world we live in today. A cultural value, that is fundamental to our societies existence and therefore, one I would protect at all costs… Equality: regardless of race, sex, religion or economic status. We are all created equal. We all enter this world the same way. We will all exit this earth at some point in time.
While we are here, we should all be treated as equals. This to me is a hard line.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I’m sitting alone in my garden, after the spring weeding and planting are complete and there are no chores left to be done. In those quiet moments, I can sit for hours—listening to the birds, watching butterflies drift by, and smiling as the bees moving playfully from flower to flower. With the sun overhead and the blue sky above, I feel deeply grounded. There’s something profoundly calming about being in Mother Nature’s playground, simply appreciating it as it is.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://quiltedartistrybyrenee.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/quiltedartistry
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneefleurangesvaldes/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/renee.fleurangesvaldes
Image Credits
Renee Fleuranges-Valdes
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