The Latest From Valerie Downs
Check out, right, one of the newest items from Valerie Downs Jewlery. More designs follow, too. Valerie Downs and her jewelry were most recently featured on OPRAH, in Lucky Magazine, OK Magazine, US Weekly, in Crain's Chicago Business Magazine, CS Magazine, Chicago Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times, French ELLE, Today's Chicago Woman, on the Paris-based website Lucire.com, and on ModeRoom.com. With star clients including actresses Christina Applegate (Earring #116 and Ring #192 Aquamarine), Jessica Alba (Earring #424S and Ring #R195BT), Cameryn Manheim, Avril Levigne (Ring #194BT), Daisy Fuentes, Tiffani Thiessen (Bracelet #B416), Natasha Henstridge, and Molly Sims, magazines"O" (Necklaces #108 and #105), InStyle, and Town and Country, former "Sex and the City" stylist Rebecca Weinberg, MTV Studios, rockers Lenny Kravitz, and Liz Phair. Past projects include design and production for the Support Kids Foundation involving artists such as U2, Melissa Etheridge, Prince, Chris Tucker, Susan Surrandon, and Tony Bennett.
Valerie's training began with a degree in the arts from Loyola University Chicago. Her studies resulted in scholarships to attend The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Valerie continued her formal education by studying children's literature at Oxford University. She received her master's degree in Education in 1995. In 1997, Valerie received grant money to work as a research assistant, collecting data on the black rhino in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Recently during the 2001 summer months, Valerie lived, worked, and studied in Milan, Italy. In 2002, Valerie worked with world renowned sculptor John Kearney in Provincetown, MA. From 2000-2004, Valerie worked at the prestigious Chicago City Day School, where she was responsible for directing and teaching the art program for children ages 3-13. In 2004, Valerie traveled to Japan where she was hired to give educational art lectures to students in Beppu, Japan. Early 2006 Valerie Downs Jewelry was chosen as a feature designer at both The Style Lounges for The Golden Globes in Los Angeles, CA and The Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT.
She has been a resident of Chicago's colorful Lakeview district for 10 years. Valerie is also a painter and illustrator, an active equestrienne, and children's author. www.valeriedowns.com
