Published: March 19, 2006 10:53 pm      

Beckley woman living a creative career

As creative director for Street and Smith’s specialty publications, Beckley native Valerie Deri Helvey’s work can be seen on newsstands across the country.

Though Helvey has always been a creative person, she says she never imagined she’d end up where she is today.

As a student, the 1988 Woodrow Wilson High School graduate who was taught to sew at age 3 by her father Lazlo Deri, a tailor, designed shirts for the Beckley-Raleigh County YMCA, posters for homecoming queen candidates and even painted a couple murals on school walls.

While she says she knew she would end up with a job somehow connected to art, Helvey says, when she entered Concord College to study commercial art and advertising, she was not sure exactly what that job would be.

Helvey’s field of study prepared her to work in the advertising industry, but when she graduated in 1992, she still had no idea what she was going to do with her life.

“I stayed at home for a year,” she said. “I was a little burned out and I wanted to rest for a little bit and see if it was possible to get a job so I could stay in state.”

As more than 3 feet of snow swept in with the Blizzard of 1993, however, so did the feeling that Helvey needed to get out in the world and begin life on her own.

“After the blizzard, I dug my car and that was it,” she said.

Helvey said she knew she wanted to go south, and so she went to Charlotte to stay with friends while looking for a job.

During her first six months in Charlotte, she held down three jobs.

In the morning and afternoon, she worked at graphics businesses and in the evening, she “did an awful job” as a waitress.

Finally, one of her part-time jobs offered her a permanent position.

As a graphic designer at Spectrum Type and Arts, Helvey initially worked designing items such as packets, brochures and banners, but in 1998, the company took on publishing as well and Helvey began designing media guides and tickets for the Charlotte Hornets and eventually the Carolina Panthers.

Later, the company began designing magazines.

It was through her job at Spectrum that Helvey became associated with Street and Smith’s.

“They found out about us because our work was respected by a lot of people,” she said. “I got to design a couple articles for their annuals.”

A few years later, the company contacted the Spectrum again, this time about working on a Dale Earnhardt commemorative issue.

Helvey designed the issue, and was then offered a full-time job with the sports publishing company.

“I had a little voice telling me I needed to try something different,” she said. “I wasn’t getting any younger and I thought I really need to try, and I was ready to make a move.”

Since joining the staff of Street and Smith’s, Helvey has been completely responsible for the entire design of all commemorative issues chronicling sporting events such as the Chicago White Sox 2005 World Series victory, the Steelers’ Super XL Bowl win and the University of Texas’ national football title.

Helvey was recently promoted and will take over as creative director for Street and Smith’s NASCAR Illustrated, a 25-year-old monthly publication, focusing on the NASCAR scene.

Helvey and her husband John, also a Beckley native, lead busy lives, working and raising two sons, Nathan, 9, and Clay, 11.

At one point in her career, Helvey says, her alarm went off at 3 a.m., and following the White Sox World Series win, she says she didn’t sleep for three days while working on a special issue.

Despite the hectic schedule, she says she has no regrets about her career choice.

“This is an awesome company to work for,” she said. “I love my job.

“I chose to start a family and a career at the same time and it’s hard sometimes, but I got a work hard mentality from my parents — my family has always been my cheering section.”

— E-mail:

mjames@register-herald.com