Meet Valerie Unruh

We recently connected with Valerie Unruh and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Valerie, so happy you were able to devote some time to sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our community. So, we’ve always admired how you have seemingly never let nay-sayers or haters keep you down. Can you talk to us about how to persist despite the negative energy that so often is thrown at folks trying to do something special with their lives?

I was born with a passion for 2-dimensional art. That passion is what helped me become persistant in following through with entering art shows and becoming an art instructor. My family, my ex-husband and his family did not support my passion. They found ways to try to sabotage that passion. I didn’t push that passion aside. I used it to fuel me into action and to keep going.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am an artist of the fine arts. I love teaching what I know to others, whether it is to children or adults. I love seeing the pride in an indiviudal’s face after they complete a piece of art. What is even more amazing is when a class works on the same project and each piece of art turns out a little differently. It truly shows that we are all separate individuals who create things as we see them.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

One of the qualities that I have is hard work. That has really paid off in my artistic journey. I enjoy learning from others but until I started practicing, the skills learned only sat there. Practice your skills! Practice daily if you can. Occasional work does not build your skill as quickly as working with it every day. Be persistant with your passion. Don’t let the nay-sayers hold you back. It is usually jealousy speaking when someone doesn’t think your passion will work. Only YOU know if it will work. Your persistance and determination will prove it.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron was life pivoting for me. She gave me the excerises needed to get out of my brain and into action.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theartistsretreat.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theartistsretreat

Image Credits

Image Credit for Cat – Cean Mooney
Image Credit for Child – Allie Hughes
Image Credit for all others – Valerie Unruh