Valeria Petrone began her art education in her native Italy and then moved to London, to pursue further studies. Valeria zooms around on a motor scooter, dividing her time between the historical center of Rome and a more modern area of Milan. In her wonderfully successful career, Valeria juggles high profile clients like United Airlines while always working on a children's book. So far she has illustrated over twenty books that have been published in Japan, France, Italy and the U.S. Although Valeria has won many illustration awards, it was a especially exciting to receive a 2008 Gold Medal 3x3 for her book Il Pittore.