Chalkboard artist and typographer Valerie McKeehan has been hand-lettering and illustrating since childhood. A lifelong creative, her passion for commercial art began simply and without pretense: producing hand-lettered signs for her father's business.
Her love of building brand personalities and helping businesses tell their story creatively through strong visuals led to a career in advertising, working with lifestyle and food brands.
Drawn to the simplicity of chalk and the nostalgia that it inspires, she opened her chalkboard boutique, Lily and Val, on Etsy in 2012. Whimsical and undeniably handcrafted, her designs are honest and authentic, at home with their imperfections and unique character.
Working out of her home studio in Central Pennsylvania at a desk constructed by her husband, she lovingly creates each piece entirely by hand, from sketch to slate, illustrating quotations by great authors and public figures or simply depicting everyday subjects that inspire her work like coffee and cooking.
In addition to over 100,000 loyal followers, Valerie has worked with nationally-recognized brands and her work has also been featured in many publications and blogs including: The Knot Magazine, HGTV.com, Huffington Post, Flea Market Style Magazine, Smart Magazine, Martha Stewart Weddings.com, Good Housekeeping Magazine and Style Me Pretty.
Lily & Val products include greeting cards, rugs, decorative pillows, luggage, stationery, wall art, gifts & accessories with distribution at department stores, online, specialty & independent retailers nationwide.