Valerie Zeman’s introduction to the world of art came at an early age, when she was invited by a local artist into the solitude of a textile art studio. The scent of simmering, pungent dyes, along with skeins of thick turquoise and magenta wools, rug-hooking forms, and assorted spindles would lead Zeman to a life-long pursuit in making art.

Once an avocation, art has become Zeman’s vocation for the last twenty years. Throughout her career in art, she has availed herself of courses and workshops taught both here and abroad by such notables as Dorothy Caldwell, Claire Benn, Jane Dunnewold, Ana Lisa Hedstrom, Elin Noble, and Joan Morris, among many others. Zeman’s work has appeared in galleries and juried exhibits in many Long Island venues, as well as in Manhattan. One of her works, Southold, recently appeared in the New York Times, announcing the “Squares” members’ show at the East End Arts Gallery, Riverhead. Zeman is affiliated with Surface Design Association, Studio Art Quilt Associates, East End Arts, Huntington Arts Council, Art League of Long Island, and the Textile Study Group of New York.

In addition, Zeman teaches workshops at her Long Island studio in such techniques as low water immersion dyeing, screen printing, arashi and itajame shibori, soy wax resist, breakdown printing and paper lamination.