Val Law, painter and printmaker, was born in Walgett, NSW in 1965. Law’s artistic career began in 1995 when she exhibited in “Unjustified”, a local NAIDOC group exhibition at the Project Centre for Contemporary Art, Wollongong. The following year she exhibited again in Project’s NAIDOC exhibition, “Looking into Aftertime”. Tess Allas curated both of these exhibitions.
In the mid 1990s Law spent time with Roy and June Barker in North West NSW, who told her local Dreaming stories. These stories were about Biamee (God), the creation era, Platypus Dreaming and how the platypus came to be. These stories became a feature of Law’s early paintings. In 1997 Law joined Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative as an artist-member and exhibited with them that year in their annual “Artist Members” show. She also participated in the “Seeing the Forest For the Trees” exhibition and the “Mum Shirl” tribute exhibitions at Boomalli in 1998 and 2000 respectively.
Law’s work has been included in all three Wollongong City Art Gallery “Pallangjang” exhibitions including the highly successful “Pallangjang III” touring exhibition co-curated by Vic Chapman. John Monteleone, of Wollongong City Gallery wrote of Law’s work in the “Palingjang III” catalogue essay that her “visual approach is delicate, spiritual and autobiographical.” In 2003 Nick Hartgerink wrote about Law in the catalogue for the “People’s Choice – The Permanent Collection of Wollongong City Gallery” exhibition stating, “Val’s work is inspired and inspiring. Her art has been an expression of self discovery as a member of the Stolen Generation. It is filled with wonder, hope and compassion, and an insight that comes from deep in her soul.”
In 2001 Law began an undergraduate course in Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong, majoring in Visual Arts which she completed in 2004. In 2003 she was included in the Faculty of Creative Arts, Dean’s Merit List and in 2006 Law completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Vocational and Workplace Learning at the University of Technology, Sydney.
Law has been a consistent community arts worker in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven districts of NSW. She has conducted workshops at the Wollongong City Art Gallery, taught art at the NSW Department of Technical and Further Education, Illawarra Institute and worked on numerous community art projects including the Shellharbour Foreshore Walkway and a mosaic at the Ribbonwood Neighbourhood Centre’s Youth Courtyard in Dapto. In 2004 Law received recognition from Wollongong City Council for her contribution to NAIDOC Week. In 2007 Law was still working in the area of community arts from her home base in Wollongong and has stated that this dedication to life long learning in creative arts, visual arts and adult education is strengthened through her practical experience, academic studies and facilitation of adult and further education within the visual arts industry.
- Writers:
- Allas, Tess
Note:
- Date written:
- 2007
- Last updated:
- 2011
- Status:
- peer-reviewed
