Valerie Anglen is a second-generation professional artist, art teacher, and commercial designer with over 40 years of experience. She is the daughter of Robert Buckingham, an artist whose extensive career spanned over four decades. Valerie’s artistic roots were deeply influenced by her father, whose work inspired her to pursue a career in both the fine arts and education.

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As an art educator, Valerie’s teaching style is heavily based on technique, with a focus on developing a genuine love for the arts. Valerie believes that the foundation of good art comes from mastering techniques, and she fosters an environment where students are not only taught the fundamentals of art but also inspired to find their unique artistic voice.

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In addition to her work as an educator, Valerie has had an extensive and accomplished career in commercial design. She has worked on 16 multimillion-dollar school projects, primarily within the largest high school district in California. Her expertise in creating functional, aesthetically pleasing designs for educational spaces has had a significant impact on schools.

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All About Art is a program created by Valerie and her granddaughter, Adoniah, that combines art education with social-emotional learning (SEL). Funded by a state grant, the program was implemented in an underserved school district and reached over 6,000 students across nine schools. All necessary art supplies, including paints, brushes, and paper, were provided to ensure students had the resources to explore their creativity. The program emphasized creating art using accessible materials, demonstrating that students don’t need expensive supplies to begin their artistic journey. Additionally, the program featured live art exhibitions showcasing Adoniah’s artwork, inspiring students to believe they, too, could be artists.