Description

Extended Data

DAAO URL

https://www.daao.org.au/bio/val-law

Birth Place

Walgett, NSW, Australia

Biography

Val West Val West states, “My 'Woven Stories’ body of artworks represent connections to the Dreaming and to the land through feeling deeply connected to the South Coast, NSW, Dharawal Nation through experiences lived, family, friends, collegues and to my families Aboriginal Nations of Walgett, Brewarrina & Dennawan NSW which are the Gamilaraay, Wailwan & Murrawarri Language Groups. Intrinsic to my 'Woven Stories’ artworks is also the interwoven stories inspired by the woven organic of South Coast and North Western NSW weaving – 'Woven Stories’ references continuing connections to the Dreaming through songlines represented by intricately interwoven strands of weaving, 'Ancestral twine’ (Spirit Bird Xavier Rudd), and includes skills and techniques of weaving that have been handed down from generation to generation for thousands of years. My 'Woven Stories’ artworks also represents the continued practice of contemporary weaving today with traditional techniques and materials which continues to keep the Dreaming present.” In 2009 Wollongong City Gallery, Pallingjang Saltwater 2009 exhibition was developed by Wollongong City Gallery, Art Gallery of New South Wales AGNSW, Wollongong City Council, Arts NSW, Australian Governments Indigenous Support Program of the Development of the Environment, Heritage, Water and the Arts. Sixteen South Coast Aboriginal Artists were selected to exhibit artworks and included a print component, print workshops were facilitated and artworks printed by Master Printmaker Tom Goulder at Duck Print Fine Art Studio. Johnathan Jones (AGNSW) kindly states, 'The detailed study of flora is echoed in the woven imagery of Val Law (West), with her Woven Stories print series. Woven forms, like that seen in the sculptures of Julie Freeman and Phyllis Stewart who both weave with local grasses, vines and bark, often decorated with nuts, shells and feathers, are translated into print media by Law, who brings together the different strands or threads of life to create a whole sense of self. Her work, like that of her peer Regina Pilawuk Wilson (b.1948) from Peppimenarti in the Northern Territory, is a filigree of lines forming and re-forming, referencing her earlier line design work.’ Johnathan Jones – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales AGNSW. Wollongong City Art Gallery,Pallingjang Saltwater Together Dreaming 2009, pg 24. Sheona White (AGNSW) kindly states 'The Gallery was very honoured to have Uncle Vic Chapman (Yuwaalaraay), the first Aboriginal primary school headmaster in Australia and artist in his own right, as part of it’s team of dedicated Gallery Guides. He and local artist Valerie Law (Gamilaroi) also became workshop tutors at the Gallery and provided invaluable insight, information and support through the complex subjects that arose in relation to Indigenous art at the Gallery. Local artist Kevin Butler soon joined Uncle Vic and Valerie as local Indigenous artists at the Gallery, when in 1997 he was selected as the Gallery’s annual Resident Artist. The art of all three was represented in the inaugural Pallingjang exhibition and subsequent exhibitions since then.’ Sheona White Curator Pallingjang Saltwater 1997 and consultant curator Pallingjang Saltwater 2009. Currently working at the Art Gallery of New South Wales AGNSW. Wollongong Art Gallery, Pallinjang Saltwater 2009 – Together Dreaming screen 15, 34, 24 & of 164. Pallingjang Saltwater 2009 Catalogue, Wollongong City Art Gallery p.g 7, 14, 24 & 25, 2009. [PDF]Pallingjang Saltwater – Together Dreaming togetherdreaming.com/wp-content/uploads/.../catalogue_low_res.pdf Duck Print Fine Art Limited Editions, Pallingjang Saltwater 2009, Wollongong City Art Gallery & Art Gallery of NSW AGNSW http://www.duckprintfineart.com.au/pallingjang2009/ Val West(Law) states “My 'Community Artworks’ body of artworks is inspired by Dreaming stories taught to me by respected Elders and Storytellers June Barker, Lorraine Brown and Francis Bodkin, and is also inspired by the landscape, seascape, fauna and flora experienced while living in the Illawarra, South Coast NSW.” Collections 5 artworks by Val West(Law) collected in the Wollongong Art Gallery Permanent Collection from 1996-2012 Gaygar Duck and Platypus DreamingVal West (Law)acrylic polymere on canvas, 1996 GamilaroiVal West (Law)polymer acrylic, ochers on board and cloth, 1998 Woven Stories 8 Val West (Law)aquatint etch on paper, 2009Master Printmaker Tom Goulder, Printed at Duck Print Fine Art Gallery,For Pallingjang Saltwater 2009 Exhibition,Wollongong City Art Gallery,Art Gallery of New South Wales AGNSW. Woven StoriesVal West (Law)aquatint etch on paper, 2009Master Printmaker Tom Goulder, Printed at Duck Print Fine Art Gallery,For Pallingjang Saltwater 2009 Exhibition,Wollongong City Art Gallery,Art Gallery of New South Wales AGNSW. Water lilies DreamingVal West (Law) aquatint on paper, 2012Master Printmaker Tom Goulder, Printed at Duck Print Fine Art Gallery. University of Wollongong Permanent Collection Family ReunionVal West (Law)acrylic polymer on canvas, 1986 Exhibitions 1995 – 2014 2014 Boomalli Aboriginal Artist’s Cooperative$300 Dollar Donation Exhibition 2011 Parliament of New South Wales Aboriginal Art Prize exhibitionParliament of New South WalesCampbelltown Art CentreCOFA College of Fine Art. 2009 Pallingjang Salt Water 2009 Wollongong City Gallery, Art Gallery of New South Wales AGNSW, Wollongong City Council, Arts NSW, Australian Governments Indigenous Support Program of the Development of the Environment, Heritage, Water and the Arts. 2009 On This Island NG Art Gallery& Duck Print Fine Art Studio 2009 Scarf Exhibition Edmund Rice College 2009 One Year On Vision and Space Gallery 2008 Sorry day Exhibition Vision and Space Gallery 2008 Continuing the Circles Exhibition, Vision and Space Gallery, Deidre Armstrong 2007 Print makers Inaugural Exhibition Vision and Space Gallery Art Arena and Project Contemporary Art Space. 2007 Milestones Art Heritage andPlace Exhibition. University of Wollongong Project Contemporary Art Space. 2007 Collected Women’s Exhibition Wollongong City Gallery. 2008 NAIDOC Week Exhibition Vision & Space Gallery. 2004 Peoples Choice Exhibition Wollongong City Gallery. 2002 Pallingjang Salt Water 111Wollongong City Art Gallery. 2000 Mum Shirl Tribute Sacred Trust of Memory Exhibition. Boomalli Aboriginal Artist Cooperative. 2000 Diriyay (War Cry) Aboriginal Expo Homebush Sydney. 2000 Boomalli Exhibition BoomalliAboriginal Artist Cooperative. 2000 Pallingjang Salt Water 111 Wollongong Cty Gallery Wollongong City Council. 1999 Boomalli Members ExhibitionBoomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative. 1998 NAIDOC Visions exhibitionWollongong City Gallery exhibition toured to Parliament House of New South Wales 1998 NAIDOC Visions exhibition Wollongong City Gallery. 1998 NAIDOC Week Exhibition University of Wollongong. 1997 Pallingjang Salt Water ExhibitionWollongong City Gallery. 1996 Looking Into Aftertime Project Contemporary Art Space. 1995 Unjustified Project Centre for Contemporary Art Space Artworks In Publication 1999 Boomalli Aboriginal Artist Cooperative,artwork titled Earth, Wind, Fire and Water by Val West (Law)Printed Cards. 1999 NSW Reconciliation Council Commissioned Val West (Law)Logo painted for 1999, NSW reconciliation Council Conference. 2000 NSW Reconciliation Council Poster printed of artwork titled Bridge over Troubled WatersCollaborative artwork Kevin Butler and Val West ( Law ) 2000 NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs, printed postcards forNAIDOC 2000 artwork Bridge over Troubled Waters 2009Wollongong City GalleryPallingjang Saltwater 2009Woven Stories pg 16, Woven Stories 8 pg 24, Woven Stories 10 pg 25. 2010 NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs poster re-printed of collaborative artwork titled Bridge Over Troubled Waters CollectionsWollongong City Gallery.Wollongong University.Private Collections New Zealand the UK and Australia. Community Artworks – Murals 2014 Holy Spirit College, Welcome Poles of Kindness, Peace and Respect. 2006 Engadine Primary School 2007 Grays Point Primary School 2008 Keiraville Primary School 2008 Wollongong Botanic Garden Discovery Centre with Keiraville Primary School After-school Art Class Collaborative Mural. 2008 Corrimal Primary School 2008 St Francis Xavier Wollongong Primary School 2009 Penshurst Primary School 2011 Corrimal High School Collaborative Mural Project In2Careers Corrimal High School. Community Artworks – Public Art Commissions 2000Oak flats cycle and Walkway Project. Shellharbour Council commission for artworks drawing of Whale Starfish Shell & Dolphins artist Val West (nee Law). Embossed in sets from Shellharbour Village to Oak Flats by Shellharbour Council. Project Coordinators Sue Barnett and Ashley Frost 2001Ribbonwood Neighbourhood Youth Courtyard Mosaic Project. Wollongong City Council.Project Coordinator Cultural Services Primary ArtistsTori de Mestre, Janett Clauston and Val West ( Law ) Commission to assist the facilitationwith Dapto High School mosaic workshopsand with the collaborative mosaic construction of the Mosaics for the Youth Courtyard. 2006Six Daughters of the West WindMerrigong Environment Sculpture Project.Wollongong City Council.Project Coordinator Cultural Services Sue Bessell. Primary Artists Tina Lee and Alison Page. I was selected as an Artist for clay hand forming for lilly pillies tiles at the base of one of the sculptures titled Six Daughters of the West Wind Merrigong Environment Sculpture at Mt Keira. Awards 2004Deans Merit Award, Outstanding Academic Performance,Bachelor of Creative Art, Visual Art.Wollongong University 2004Contribution to Public ArtworksWollongong City Council Education Bachelor of Creative Art Visual Art, University of Wollongong, UOW. Certificate 1V Training and Assessment TAFE. *Statement of attainment Ceramics Hand forming Practice, West Wollongong Technical and Further Education. *Child Care Certificate. *Certificate in Child Care Studies. *Completed most of the Bachelor of Teaching, University of Wollongong. *Completed most of a Post Graduate Diploma in Vocational Education & Training VET, University of Sydney UTS Writers: vwest Platypus Date written: 2015 Last updated: 2017

Born

b. 1965

Summary

Val West is an Aboriginal artist, her ancestry is Aboriginal from the Gamilaroi & Murawarri Aboriginal nations and feels deeply connected to D'harawal Country. She is a Painter, Printmaker and Community Artist. She is represented in the Permenant Collections of Wollongong Art Gallery and the University of Wollongong. She has a Bachelor of Creative Arts Visual Arts, University of Wollongong.

Gender

Female

Died

None listed

Age at death

None listed