ARTIST IN RESIDENCE EXHIBITION
27 June – 1 August
HALLWAY GALLERY
Opening Saturday 27 June 2–4pm
Please join Valerie to celebrate the launch of River of Connection. Valerie joins studio friends Sera Waters, Libby Rose and Joseph Boas for an informative series of short artist talks to open the exhibitions from 2:30pm.
Valerie Kirk is an accomplished artist and tapestry weaver, writer, teacher, and public figure who has made significant contributions to the world of textiles. She studied art and design at Edinburgh College of Art, where she discovered her passion for woven tapestry. After graduating, she moved to Australia and worked at the Victorian (now Australian) Tapestry Workshop. Throughout her career, Valerie has travelled the country to teach in communities and colleges, work as an artist-in-residence, exhibit her work, and lead community tapestry projects. She has also researched Australian Indigenous textiles and directed significant projects. Valerie was commissioned to design and weave six major tapestries to celebrate the Nobel/Japan/Kyoto Prizes in Science associated with the Australian National University from 2004 to 2019. Her achievements have been recognised with the Australia Council New Work grant, ACT Creative Arts Fellowship, Muse Arts Woman of the Year Award, and the Canberra Centenary Community Tapestry project. Her artwork is featured in collections across both national and international collections. In 2022, Valerie was awarded Member of the Order of Australia for her significant service to tertiary arts education and as an artist and curator.
Image: Fibulae, 2026, wool, felt, cotton thread, beads, dimensions variable. Photo courtesy Artist. Care and protect (detail), 2026, watercolour, print , cotton. Flow and grow (detail), 2026, pencil, acrylic, print, cotton. Headshot Mel Hill.
For more information click here
