Art & Music -- You Can't Have One without the Other for Talented Valerie Lorimer

Lynne Kornecki
May 5
2 min read

Acrylic on canvas, "Color Me Mozart" is now in a private collection. Valerie says, "This is what a lot of Mozart's music sounds like to me." Scroll down to view more of her artwork...

Music and visual art have both played an integral role in Valerie Lorimer’s very creative life. Although trained as a musician, she always had an interest in art that started at the age of 8 when her mom gifted her with a box of pastels. She worked for many years in graphic design and is currently the Collaborative Pianist for Downers Grove North High School Fine Arts Department where she accompanies choirs, individual vocalists, and instrumentalists.

When it comes to visual artistry, she enjoys illustrative work using pen, ink and markers describing her illustrations as more whimsical than realistic. She also works with acrylics producing abstracts on both canvas and paper saying she is undecided which she likes better.

Her inspiration heralds from nature, travel, and voracious reading – all combine to spark her many ideas. She also composes choral pieces along with instrumental accompaniment. One look at her website and it’s clear that both music and art comprise her daily life. She adds that she is equally inspired by poetry and hears the music that can go with it in her head!

An established composer of solo and choral repertoire, her music has delighted audiences in the United States and abroad. Valerie has an undergraduate degree from Michigan State University and a master's degree in Piano Accompanying from Northwestern University. She is a valued musical collaborator with local ensembles, instrumentalists and singers and has collaborated with notable organizations such as the Chicago Opera Theatre and Chicago Symphony Chorus. Her compositions are available on her website, The Lorenz Corporation and JW Pepper MyScore.

Valerie says, “Creativity is what fuels my heart and soul – it is, in a sense, spirit and energy. I cannot imagine a day when I wake up and don’t have the freedom to create. It’s great fun to start a composition or piece of art and see where it will lead.”

Her advice to other artists is, “Play around with trying different mediums. It’s an important part of the learning process to see what works for you. Don’t be afraid to try different things and soon you’ll see your own style evolve.”

Be sure to visit Valerie's website to learn more about her music and artwork where both are available for sale. About — Valerie Lorimer

You can also find her on social media at: FB - Valerie Lorimer Contemporary Arts

Instagram - vlorimerart