“H O M E G I R L S” Solo Exhibit from Valerie J. Bower ~ opens Saturday

12:24 PM PDT on June 29, 2017

Southern California is full of aspiring artists making their waves in efforts to break through the masses. Some get lucky and meet the right people and others hustle their way through and make their own opportunities. When we think of this, one artist immediately comes to mind and that's Valerie J. Bower. Valerie's work has been breaking through to so many people all over the globe. Her honest and humble approach to photography instantly makes you fall in love with the images and zines she continues to create. We're proud to call Valerie a photographer, we know she loves and appreciates her craft as she connects and creates with some of the most prominent people in the Los Angeles area.

This coming Saturday July 1st, Valerie will have her first Solo show titled "H O M E G I R L S" debuting at the Grab Bag Studio in Long Beach. With the help and support from Grab Bag Studio, Valerie will be releasing a new Book, Lapel pin and more. We asked Valerie about her show and she shared this artist statement with us:

H O M E G I R L S

Photos of three friends, Canela, Morena and Luna. I initially spoke with Canela to take portraits. That day she brought along her homegirls to shoot also, Morena and Luna, who are sisters. Canela and Luna are both 17, and Morena is 16. We met on a Friday at Roosevelt Park in L.A., right at the Florence Station stop off the Metro Blue Line. All three girls were instantly so beautiful inside and out to me. What was intended to be a straight forward portrait session with the girls, turned into a series with deeper meaning to me. They shared make up, did each others hair, bought ice cream, laughed, and danced to music playing through a bluetooth speaker. I decided to make this series of photos about not only their beauty, but their friendship and connection to each other. I set out to capture this young girlhood.

Share the Taco:

Desilu Muñoz

@desilu

Sic Transit Gloria

Stay in touch

More from L.A. TACO

L.A. Taco Guides

The Best Tacos Around SoFi Stadium and Intuit Dome

There’s no shortage of taco shops, trucks, and stands in and around the Inglewood area. You can drive down Hawthorne Blvd between Century Blvd and the 105 freeway to find a dozen taco trucks competing for your attention.

Memo Torres and Karina Soriano

June 18, 2026

Events

Free Flautas and Fresh Beer: L.A. TACO’s Watch Party at Homage Brewing Today at 5 PM!

Indie journalism, some of the best cold beers in L.A., free crispy taquitos for members, and Mexico (or South Korea!) kicking the ball around for 90 minutes. Winner gets first place. Come cheer your team on.

L.A. TACO STAFF

June 18, 2026

Drink

I Went Inside Tanlines, L.A.’s New Bikini Coffeeshop

Tanlines presents itself as something transgressive—a bikini coffee shop in an industrial corner of Los Angeles. But after a few hours inside, the novelty wears off and something much stranger emerges: It's just a neighborhood café.

Lauren Bethke

June 18, 2026

Taco Members Only

Do Protests Actually Work?

According to this researcher, no.

Lexis-Olivier Ray

June 18, 2026

Sports

Soccer Fans React to World Cup Controversies

"These are things that I think that should be free, so we can all come together and remember we're all human,” a fan told L.A. TACO in attendance at a watch party event in Exposition Park.

Aisha Wallace-Palomares

June 17, 2026

DAILY MEMO

Daily Memo: DHS Arrests Activists in Minneapolis As ICE Ramps Up Again Across Southern California

While the World Cup continues, please remember that many of the agents at the games are Federal Air Marshals, who are not tasked for immigration enforcement at the stadiums, they’re a part of Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response or VIPR, who are here as security against “potential acts of terrorism.” This also includes the U.S. Marshals who were also out there with marked vests.