Artist Spotlight: Valerie Collymore
Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself and your journey as an artist?
“My name is Valerie Collymore. I identify myself as a modern-day French Impressionist oil painter. I’ve been painting as a professional full-time seriously for the past 13 years. I used to be a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, and after having children and becoming an empty nester, instead of returning to medicine, I decided to go for art.”
“I went all in — 500%. I studied with six of the top painters in the United States, some locally and some by getting on a plane. I realized there was about an 80% common core in what they were all teaching, and that became the foundation of my work and my teaching.”
Q: You describe yourself as a French Impressionist. Where does that influence come from?
“I grew up in the south of France from age nine to eighteen. These are literally landscapes I grew up with — the sea, the parasol pine trees, the red dirt. My aesthetic was formed there. It’s in my blood. Even though I’m American, my home is there.”
“I was literally picnicking in what is now the Renoir Museum. That was just where we played as kids. So I’m revisiting my childhood through my work, and that’s why I’m obsessively focused on French Impressionists.”
Q: How do you gather reference material for your paintings?
“I have a really strong visual memory. I don’t paint outdoors much — instead, I take photos obsessively. I can get 300 photos a day, and maybe 20 are good. I use a photograph to get the painting started, then I put it away and visual memory kicks in.”
“I only paint things I really love, that I’ve been there for, that I have a visual memory of. If I don’t have that connection, it doesn’t come out the same way.”
Q: How does this philosophy carry into your teaching?
“I’m very analytical — no nonsense. I teach the core principles without wasting people’s time. There may be thousands of color books, but there’s really one main way to get color. That’s what I teach.”
“Paint Like a French Impressionist was built from that 80% core I learned from the masters. It’s short videos, five to thirteen minutes, just the essentials.”
Q: When did you first start using M. Graham Oil Paints?
“From day one. I thought they were affordably priced, incredibly rich, and I loved that all of the colors have the same consistency. Since I work with a limited palette, that consistency really matters.”
“I recommended them to all my students. I referred so many people to M. Graham that someone eventually told me, ‘You shouldn’t be paying for your paint — you should look into the ambassador program.’ That’s how it started.”
Q: What keeps you coming back to M. Graham over other oil paints?
“The consistent creaminess. When I open a tube, the paint performs exactly how I expect it to. I don’t have to mash it or prepare it. That reliability is huge for me.”
“Even compared to historic brands, from a practical standpoint, M. Graham just does it for me.”
Q: Where can people learn more about your work or study with you?
“ValerieCollymore.com is always a good place to see what’s going on or to reach out. Most of my students stay with me for years. I’m fascinated by how people learn, and I tailor everything to support that.”
“I’m very proud to be an ambassador for M. Graham Oil Paints. I’ve always believed in them, so it’s a very natural fit.”
