Studio Stories: Valerie Kirk

Discover the work of designers and makers from Canberra, Australia’s design capital in these fascinating virtual studio tours and interviews with Craft ACT members.

About Valerie:

Valerie Kirk studied art and design at Edinburgh College of Art, where she discovered woven tapestry. As a recent graduate she came to Australia and worked in the Victorian (now Australian) Tapestry Workshop and travelled the country to teach in communities and colleges, work as an artist-in-residence, exhibit and lead community tapestry projects. She is an artist and tapestry weaver, writer, teacher and public figure who has made a significant contribution internationally.

While actively maintaining her practice as an artist, Valerie’s remarkable capacity for achievement has seen her research Australian Indigenous textiles, direct significant projects, guest lecture on international textile tours and create major works. During 2004-2019 she was commissioned to design and weave six major tapestries to celebrate Nobel/Japan/Kyoto Prizes in Science associated with the Australian National University.

Awards such as the Australia Council New Work grant, ACT Creative Arts Fellowship, Muse Arts Woman of the Year Award and the Canberra Centenary Community Tapestry project mark substantial success and her artwork can be seen in collections nationally and international.

https://www.valeriekirktapestry.com/

Filmed by Georgia Arndell