About D.E.Valenza,artist
In 2017, my husband & I relocated from New Jersey to Arizona. The process of getting settled, unpacking years of "stuff" and all my artworks was to say the least -beyond. I am finally set up my new studio. The studio faces north and has views to the Rincon Mountains- northern light!
Career
For over 30 years, I was a Visual Merchandising / Marketing professional, during which I worked as the Visual Merchandising Directors for The Museum Company (a chain of over 100 domestic and international stores),
Viva International Optical Group and Bloomingdales.
As a curator of store exhibitions, my work has been as a “visual artist who arranges objects in space”.
At Bloomingdales, along with my staff- used the store environment and windows as theater, creating installations for high fashion couture, and country promotions.
For Viva International Group, I headed both domestic and international optical trades show installations and developed point of purchase collateral for major optical chains worldwide.
At The Museum Company I was responsible for the visual merchandising look for over 100+ store and coordinated events with The History Channel, and A&E and presented workshops / seminars on Visual Merchandising at international venues.
Education
-Bachelor of Fine Arts degree: Caldwell University, Caldwell, N.J. / Certified to teach Art grades K-12
Continuing post collegiate studies :
-Design & Drafting- Fashion Institute of Technology (NYC),
-The School of Visual Arts (NYC)
-Dark room photography with David Horton, William Paterson University, NJ
- Interior Design Drafting, Kean University
-Chinese Brush Painting with master David Kwo, Visual Arts Cener of N.J.
- Jewelry Design with Jeannette Mullarkey, Visual Arts Cener of N.J.
-Encaustics with Barrie Andrew. Visual Arts Cener of N.J.
Organizations / Volunteerism:
Valenza was inducted into the National Association of Women Artists, Inc. in 2009 and in 2010, she was elected to their Board of Directors serving as the First Vice President, Exhibitions Chairperson.
She has used her Visual Merchandising experience to coordinate and install many nationwide art exhibitions for N.A.W.A.- in galleries, museums, corporations, and libraries.
In 2012 she was elected their President and served for one year.
During her term as NAWA President she was proactive to move exhibitions online and launched the first online exhibitions.
She was the NAWA Exhibitions and Webmaster for NAWA's initial online exhibitions where she created and presented the following online exhibitions :
~D.I.V.A.S (Divine Inspirational Visual Artistic Souls)
~Sculptural Visions in 3D
~Daring to Defy the Medium: What is Collage
~Collective Disciplines
~A Sight For Sore Eyes
~Innovative Crafts
~Seeing the World In Black and White
~Women Celebrating Creativity.
She also has served as the Vice President of The Millburn Short Hills Arts Center (MSHAC), and was a council member of The Arts Council of Livingston.
Historic EyeWear Company, Keeping History in Sight®
Valenza and her husband Thomas F. Valenza launched Historic EyeWear Company, Keeping History in Sight® which showcases museum quality reproduction spectacles from the 1800s.
Visit the website www.HistoricEyeWearCompany.com. for the latest information on period correct spectacles and to see the complete selection of spectacles and cases. Thom custom engraves the cases using fonts from the 1800s. The one shown in this photograph has three initials.
For this website, Doreen photographs, designs collateral and assists her husband in running the online business. Doreen's photographs are featured throughout the site. They enjoy attending reenactments and Living History events.
