About

Hello, I’m Valerie Salas. I am a Texas Panhandle-born traditional and graphic artist. I will be graduating from Amarillo College in December 2024 with an Associate’s Degree in Graphic Design with an emphasis
in Print Media. In May 2025, I will graduate with a second Associate’s Degree in Business Administration. I have been interested in all things art from a very young age and would always “dress up” as an artist
and get messy. As a teen I explored painting and glass firing, and won awards at art shows, like the Art Jubilee at OPSU, for my work. In college, I started as a marketing major but missed the passion that came with art, so I switched from one Bachelor’s Degree to two Associate’s Degrees. 

 

Having never touched Adobe software before starting school,
there was a steep learning curve but nothing I couldn’t handle. In
my second year of school, I went on to join Amarillo College’s Student Media, which includes The Ranger newspaper and website and The Current magazine. In the spring semester I was promoted to Co-Art Director for The Current. I also competed in media competitions and earned the spot of Student Secretary for the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA), the top college media convention in the state of Texas. Now in my third year, I have been promoted to Art Director for both The Ranger and The Current. I have had the opportunity to go to media conventions and network with professionals in the field. Some
of these conventions include TIPA in San Marcos, Mega Media Con in Minneapolis, Media Con in Portales, and TCCJA in Beaumont and Stephenville, the latter of which I won first place in an editorial
design competition. 

 

After graduating with my second Assoociate’s in May, I plan to become a professional designer and work my way up in a print shop or design firm. My dream is to open up a print shop business one day and learn everything that has to do with the process from design to final product. Overall, my story has been greatly impacted by friends, family, and instructors that  I am very thankful for.