Janine was studying fashion illustration at the New England School of Art and Design when she realized that computer technology was obsolete in the field. She was already working weekends as a caricature artist when she left school in 1983 to become the art director for a chain of musical instrument stores. Janine continued drawing caricatures on weekends and filled her evenings doing freelance storyboards for several Boston ad agencies. And somewhere in between, she taught herself computer graphics.

In 1987, Janine began a two-year stint as art director for a TV commercial production house. In 1990, she launched Local Color Design. She has never looked back. Her first clients were local ad agencies needing graphic support. As her reputation grew, Janine began to attract local businesses looking for a wider range of promotional support. Participation in local business groups generated even more visibility. Her business prospered.

Besides doing freelance graphic design and illustration, Janine began experimenting with computer scans of her paintings. She applied them onto greeting cards. She published limited edition prints. But when she put her town scenes on round and oval Shaker-style storage boxes for Grotonfest one year, everything changed. Her hand-painted and decoupaged Groton town boxes were so successful that Janine began producing them for surrounding towns. She sold them to gift shops, stationery stores and garden centers.

Janine made the initial sales calls. She asked questions and listened to her customers’ answers. They wanted additional products, so she expanded her product line to include imprinted T-shirts and tote bags, greeting cards and prints. When they wanted display racks, she provided them.

Her home office was barely large enough for her graphic design business. Now Janine had a house full of Shaker boxes. She bought a neighbor’s barn and renovated it into a delightful country office. To keep up with demand, Janine needed sales and production help. She found local sales people who were excited about the products and willing to grow with the business. She hired local students to help with production. And all of this while maintaining her graphics business.

As if that was'nt’t enough to keep her busy, Janine discovered another unfilled local market niche. When many of her graphics clients needed signage, she started Local Color Signs. Janine's business was spotlighted in Nashoba Publications April 30, 2004 issue.

Janine’s goal in business is to build long-term relationships with emerging local companies. By learning as much as she can about her clients’ business, she provides them with a whole range of cost-effective graphic services. Her goal is to make their image part of a total marketing package.

Janine exemplifies the best in small business today. She refers work to local colleagues, which encourages reciprocation. She supports local businesses, provides flexible local employment for students and mothers, and gets involved in town government. She is an inspiration in a difficult business economy.

Janine has since married and has changed her name to LaValley. She works together with her husband Keith growing the business improving and redefining the products they offer. They share there home in Groton, MA with Keith's’ children, Brittany and Justin, . Janine and Keith both enjoy working in the yard on the gardens, the walking trails behind their home and renovating their 1920’s expanded cape. They also enjoy their interesting group of chickens, ring neck doves and cat Jimi.

Now that Janine has promoted her business and grown it to a satisfactory level, she is currently focused on her personal paintings and commission work. She has combined her businesses and now uses her own name as her business name. Janine LaValley Design, Signs & Illustration. She has also devoted a good deal of time working on a marketing and promotional book dedicated to artists looking to increase they're sales and production which she hopes to be in print by the end of the year.

~Biography and press releases written by
Karl Johnson http://ontheconnecticut.blogspot.com/