About Virginia Chavez Smith

Virginia Chavez Smith started her Brand Story Journey as a visual merchandiser working freelance during California's retail boom and exhibited her art festivals, featured in the Los Angeles Times. She moved on to work in the Art and Antiques Business in Southern California, managing businesses, and trained hundreds of antique dealers on the art of Branding and Visual Merchandising. She appraised art, antiques, textiles, and jewelry which taught her the history of style, visual language, and trends. 

She attended the Anderson School of the Arts in Aspen Colorado and learned the basics of photography under the guidance of the great Ernst Haas. As she served her clients over the past 13 years, she has continued to educate herself in improving her skills by attending a Film Is Not Dead with Jonathan Canlas as well as working with her Mentors, Don Giannatti of Lighting Essentials in the art of lighting and commercial work including branding and Sue Bryce known worldwide for her portrait education. Virginia's work has been featured in international publications and media won awards and recognition in competitions. Her styling work for other photographers has also been recognized and published. She has coached many fempreneurs in Brand Storytelling through Visual Imagery, created Image Libraries with her photography and graphic design skills, and taught technical skills for specific projects that profited the businesses that worked with her. She has spoken at Conferences and trade groups about her personal story of success through adversity in addition to sharing her Brand Storytelling expertise.