Valerie Berlage
Artist, woodworker, TFS Member
"Born and raised in Western North Carolina, I helped my grandfather in his woodworking shop as a child and learned traditional Southern handcrafts and painting from my grandmothers. Close ties to my family and a love of the mountains kept me in WNC even after earning a BFA and K‑12 teaching licensure from UNC-Asheville. After working for a local craftsman for a number of years, I enrolled in the Professional Crafts Program at Haywood Community College and began focusing solely on woodworking. While my art has gone through several transitions over the years, it has remained rooted in my relationship with my loved ones, so much so that I named my studio after my two grandmothers. As a real home is built piece by piece, my work is created layer by layer out of wood and paint."
Learn more about Valerie on Instagram, Facebook, and her website