Directory

Biography

Valerie Sokolova holds a BA in Graphic Arts and Illustration and MFA in Applied and Decorative Arts. She serves as an Associate Professor and the Art Department Academic Liaison of the Kingsborough Community College (KCC) Honors Program. She teaches design, typography, illustration and writing intensive courses. As the Art Department advisor to the KCC Art Club, she also regularly brings illustrators, designers and other artists to speak to the student community about career options in the arts available to them upon graduation. Prior to teaching at KCC, Valerie taught at Queensborough Community College and York College.

Outside of KCC, Valerie is an active award-winning illustrator on a national and international scale, as well as an icon painting instructor. She has published more than 30 illustrated picture books in the U.S. and many books abroad. She is especially passionate about illustrating storybooks for children. Her illustrations have been featured in publications such as The New York Times, TIME Magazine for Kids, and Highlights. Her books include My Royal Birthday Adventure, Bella Bassett Ballerina, and Thankful Together. She regularly paints icons in the traditional Byzantine/Russian style and teaches icon painting at the Prosopon School of Iconology in her spare time. In addition to her illustration, design, icon painting and teaching work, Valerie is an experienced antique restoration specialist and decorative theater artist. She has received numerous awards, among which are the Winner of the Best Book Award at the Publishers Forum XXIII – National Award (2016), The Golden Feather Award for Best Children's Illustrator of the Year (2013), the Creative Child Book of the Year Award (2012) and the Mom's Choice Gold Award in the Children's Picture Book category (2012).

Courses

Design 1
Art 55
Illustration
Art 68
Illustration Style
Art 69
Experimental Typography
Art 74
Designing with Type
Art 40

Education

1983 –1987 State Institute of Theatre and Art
M.F..A. .in Applied and Decorative Arts
Minsk, Belarus
1981 – 1983 Ukrainian Polygraphic Institute
B.A. in Graphic Arts and Illustration
Lviv, Ukraine
Selected Publications and/or Other Resources
2016        When the Animals Could Talk (in Ukrainian), Starlev Publishing, Lviv, Ukraine

2015        The Little Princess and the Pussy-Cat (in Ukrainian), ABABAGALAMAGA, Kiev, Ukraine

2014        Forest Musicians (Written & Illustrated Book), Starlev Publishing, Lviv, Ukraine

2013        Bella Ballerina, Starlev Publishing, Ukraine

2013        Cinderella, Sterling Publishing

2012        Royal Birthday Adventure Book for Boys, I See Me, Inc.

2012        Royal Birthday Adventure Book for Girls, I See Me, Inc.

2012        Zacchaeus Meets Jesus, Zonderkids / Harper Collins

2012        Elijah and Ahab, Zonderkids / Harper Collins

2011        Kryhitka ta Kyc Kyc, ABABAGALAMAGA, Kiev, Ukraine

2011        Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand, Zonderkids / Harper Collins

2011        Jesus Raises Lazarus, Zonderkids / Harper Collins

2011        Joshua Crosses the Jordan River, Zonderkids / Harper Collins

2011        The Prodigal Son, Zonderkids / Harper Collins

2008        The Promise, Standard Publishing

2007        Thankful Together, (board book), Standard Publishing

2005        Bella Basset Ballerina, Pretty Please Press

2004        The Magic of Merlin, Golden Books Publishing Company

2003        Thankful Together, Standard Publishing

2003        King Arthur's Courage, Golden Books Publishing Company

2001        The Golden Books Treasury of Christmas Joy, Golden Books Publishing Company

PUBLISHED WORKS: WRITTEN & ILLUSTRATED PICTURE BOOKS

2014        Forest Musicians, Starlev Publishing, Lviv, Ukraine

PUBLISHED WORKS: ILLUSTRATED EDUCATIONAL BOOKS

2007        Corduroy and Will, Houghton Mifflin

2007        The King Song, Houghton Mifflin

2007        Blancaflor, McGraw Hill

2007        Two Ducks, McGraw Hill

2006        And The Wheels Go Around, Kirchoff Wohlberg Publishing

2004        The Emperor New Clothes, McGraw Hill

2004        Baby Animals, Hampton Brown

2003        The Tooth Fairy Pays a Visit, Unibook

2002        The Elves and the Shoemaker, Rigby

2002        Cat in Boots, Harcourt

2000        The Goose Girl, Scott Foresman

2000        Eek, Squeak! A Leak! Celebration Press

PUBLISHED WORKS

BOOK COVERS

2013        The Best Angel Stories 2014, Müllerhaus Communications / Guideposts / Angels Magazine

2012        Castle in Danger, Wonderberry Press

2011        The Best Angel Stories 2013, Müllerhaus Communications / Guideposts / Angels Magazine

2005        Anansi Saves Anthelope, McGraw Hill

2002        A Season in Dornoch, Simon & Schuster

1999        The Knight, the Harp and the Maiden, Warner Books

1999        The Long Road Home, Dell Publishing

1999        Mirror Image, Dell Publishing

1999        Bittersweet, Dell Publishing

MAGAZINES

American Health, Angels, Angeliatko, Clubhouse, Cricket, Eclectic, Humpty Dumpty, Focus on the Family, Grammy Awards, Guideposts, Highlights, Medical Economics, Penthouse, Pray!, Rosie, Time, Ladybug,

EXHIBITIONS

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2016        Skulski Art Gallery at the Polish Cultural Foundation, "Solo Illustration Exhibition"               Clark, NJ

2015        Greenpoint Starbucks Art Center "Solo Illustration Exhibition"                                                  Brooklyn, NY

2014        Fitzerald Fine Arts Gallery/Prosopon Studio, Iconography Exhibit                                             New York, NY

2013        Green Sofa Gallery, Solo Exhibition "Coming Home"                  Lviv, Ukraine

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2016      Greenpoint Starbucks Art Center "Emotionalists Group Show"       Brooklyn, NY

2015        Fitzerald Fine Arts Gallery/Prosopon studio, Iconography Exhibit                                             NY, USA

2014        Art Gallery, Kingsborough CC, Exhibit "Journey through Bookland"                                        NY, USA

2014        Art-E-Fact Gallery, Exhibit "Treasures of Old Lion Publishing"                                

                Special project at 21st Publishers Forum, Group Illustration Exhibit                                            Lviv, Ukraine

2014   Fitzerald Fine Arts Gallery/Prosopon studio, Iconography Exhibit       New York, NY

2013  Ukrainian Institute of America, Best Illustrations of "ABABAGALAMAGA"  New York, NY

2011       Andrijaka Gallery Center, Prosopon School of Iconology Exhibit   Moscow, Russia

2011       Children's Museum, Exhibit Celebrating Children's Books    Brooklyn, NY       

2011        Children's Museum, Art Show "Wow" Brooklyn…                Brooklyn, NY

2011        Mill Street Loft Gallery, "Our Towns" Exhibition                   Poughkeepsie NY

2010        Portrait Exhibition, KCC Museum                                            New York, NY

 

ARTICLES

WRITTEN & ILLUSTRATED

2012        Magazine "Eclectic", October issue                                                                                                   Moscow, Russia

WRITTEN

2014        "Contemporary Ukrainian Illustrators," Svit Dytyny (Magazine)                                                      Lviv, Ukraine

2013        "Seven Questions to an Illustrator," Kazkarka (Literature Blog)                                                    Lviv, Ukraine

2013        "Only Happy People Illustrate for Children," Vysoky Zamok (Magazine)                                     Lviv, Ukraine

CLIENTS INCLUDE

Angels Magazine, ABABAGALAMAGA Publishing (Ukraine), American Health Magazine, ASE Fantasy, Lady Bug Magazine, Celebration Press, Clubhouse Magazine, Cricket Magazine, Carus Publishing, Dell Publishing, Compass (Korea), Disney, Everyday Learning Co, Eclectic Magazine ( Russia),  Focus on the Family Magazine, Golden Books, Grammy Awards Magazine, Guideposts Magazine, GGS Design Book Services , Harcourt, Houghton Mifflin, Highlights Magazine, Harper Collins, Humpty Dumpty Magazine, I See Me, Inc., Jumbo Pictures, Klutz Press, Kirchoff Wohlberg, Livingstone Corporation, MacMillan McGraw Hill, Medical Economics Magazine, Milton Bradley, Müllerhaus Communications, New York Times, Oxford University Press, Penthouse, Pretty Please Press, Pray ! Magaznine,  Rosie Magazine, Scott Foresman, Simon & Schuster, Scholastic, Spider Magazine, Standard Publishing, Sterling Publishing, Starlev Publishing (Ukraine), Svit Dytyny Magazine(Ukraine), The United Methodist Publishing House, Time Magazine For Kids, Random House, Unibooks (Korea), Universitetskoje(Belarus), Unatctva(Belarus), Wonderberry Press, Wendy Lynn and Co., Zonderkids  and others.

 

ICON COMMISSIONS AND COLLECTIONS

Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Boston, MA

Holy Nativity Convent, Boston, MA

St. Tatiana Orthodox Church, NY

Wales Orthodox Mission, Ukrainian Orthodox Church, United Kingdom
Awards Recognition, Distinctions and Grants
2016        Winner of the Best Book Award at the Publishers Forum XXIII – 2016 National Award, "When the Animals Could Talk" (I.Franko ) illustrated book, Publishers Forum, Ukraine     

2014       Parent Tested, Parent Approved (PTPA) Award for illustrations for two Royal Birthday Adventure picture

                  books, USA

2014        PSC CUNY Research Award (Traditional B): for 2014 -2016. Title: Exploring Ukrainian Folklore and Fairy-Tales Through Illustration

2013        Golden Feather Award: Best Children's Illustrator of the Year 2013

2012        Creative Child 2012 Book of the Year Gold Award

2012        Mom's Choice Gold 2012 Children's Picture Book Category

2010        Honorable Mention in Children's Books Category, London Book Festival

2010        Runner-up Award in Children's Books Category, Hollywood Book Festival

2010        Silver Medalist Certificate from Columbia Scholastic Press Association for KCC Antheon student publication under my Art Direction

2005        Illustrator of the Month Award, Highlights Magazine for Children

1999       Finalist Award, Society of Illustrators Self Portrait Competition
Personal Interests
Skiing, billiards, storytelling
 
Related Faculty

www.bit.ly/vsportfolio

http://www.wendylynn.com/#/valerie/