Biography
When I was born, my parents decided to name me after my great-grandmother. The name Valeska came ready made with a family nickname, Wally, but please don’t ever call me that. My great grandmother was born in Germany, and her family owned a traveling circus. When my great grandmother was born in 1899, Germany had a list of approved names for children, Valeska wasn’t one of them, so her parents called her Wilhemma. When the circus would travel to other countries, Valeska’s family would introduce her not as Wilhemma, but Valeska. When I was two years old, my family moved to Germany, and a couple years later, we went to my families circus that’s still in operation today, and I rode the carousel built for my namesake.
Creative Statement
Ever since I can remember, I’ve enjoyed working with computers, and doing art, but my big, big thing has always been sports. I was a competitive swimmer for my whole life, up until I broke my back when I was sixteen. Breaking my back changed my life, it changed my whole perspective. I had to find new passions, new inspirations; I had to redefine myself. Design just blows my mind, everything from packages to posters, just completely rocks my world. Once I had to sit down, and think about how my life needed to change direction, I just because so inspired by what I see around me.
Photo by Erica Lance