Valentine, a Sunnyvale resident, started her company, Divine Goddess, in April, and the collection of art unites her creative side and her desire to work with people.

"I'm really interested in people—why people do things, how it is that people understand things, trying to make things simple and clear," Valentine said.

Before creating her goddess art, Valentine worked in web development and project management in high-tech for several years. However, when the dot-com she was working for shut its doors, Valentine reflected on where she wanted to go next.

"I traveled a little bit and got interested in painting," she said. "I got to a place where I wanted to do something with my art."

The goddess designs started out as a gesture of affection. She created a picture for a friend who was going through a difficult time. Her friend showed it to a gallery, and in September 2001 her art was featured at a show.

"We got a huge turnout and sold out all of the pieces that I had," she said.

Soon after, Valentine branched out.

Valentine's art, which she describes as "whimsical, playful, sophisticated and colorful," comes in many forms. There are the original goddess prints, stylized images of women on canvas. The goddesses are also featured on stationery, pillows and T-shirts. Her art also includes abstract watercolors and even "fairy horns," glittery fuschia clay horns that strap on the head for a devilish night on the town.

Valentine looks to people as inspiration for her pieces, especially the women she meets as a result of her artwork.

"They tell me about their lives, about their families, about their dreams and aspirations," she said. "I get to a place where I start to get inspired by their stories."

Another key aspect of Valentine's motivation is strength—sticking through the tough times as an artist in a rough economy.

"This is not an easy task," Valentine explained. "This is not for the shy. It's not for people who are going to turn at the point things get rough. If you do things that are really important—things that will bring you joy—the rest will fall into place."

To stay strong, Valentine joined forces with a group of women and formed a website, www.anothergirlatplay.com The website lists profiles of women artists and musicians who have stepped out of their high-tech careers to pursue their creative dreams.

Valentine says she still keeps her hand in high-tech by running Beleza Studio, a web solutions company. However, her heart is in her art, and she enjoys the benefit others can get from her works.

"I create these things because it brings me joy," Valentine said. "What's really fascinating to me is that people get it on the other side."

To learn more about Divine Goddess, visit the website at www.divinegoddessdesigns.com.