Emily Valentine

Native Narrative

August 6-29, 2026

Frog Koala
Frog Koala, 2026
AVAILABLE
Goala
Goala, 2025
SOLD
Lorikoala
Lorikoala, 2025
AVAILABLE
Possum Parrot
Possum Parrot, 2025
SOLD
Masked Platy
Masked Platy, 2025
SOLD
Owl Emu Snake Wall Hanging
Owl Emu Snake - Wall Hanging, 2026
SOLD
Bitzaroo
Bitzaroo, 2026
SOLD
Noisy Wombat
Noisy Wombat, 2026
SOLD
Swamp Quokka
Swamp Quokka, 2026
AVAILABLE
Galah Snake Brooch
Galah Snake - Brooch, 2026
AVAILABLE
Princess Goanna Brooch
Princess Goanna - Brooch, 2026
SOLD
Rosella Possum
Rosella Possum, 2026
AVAILABLE

Emily Valentine, Masked Platy, Installation view, 2026, Image Byron Martin

 

Emily Valentine is a contemporary mixed-media artist living and working in Australia and her native New Zealand. Originally trained as a jeweller, she has developed a distinctive sculptural practice that uses feathers as her primary medium - painting with feathers to transform familiar forms into extraordinary hybrid creatures. Through meticulous craftsmanship and an acute eye for detail, Valentine creates richly textured works that blur the boundaries between sculpture, jewellery, and natural history.

 

Inspired by the landscapes and wildlife of the Pacific, Valentine constructs imagined species from ready-made figurines, combining Australian fauna with the colours and textures of indigenous bird feathers. These playful yet unsettling sculptures evoke a speculative future in which nature, fantasy, and genetic possibility converge. Beneath their beauty lies a deeper enquiry into humanity's relationship with the natural world.

 

Central to Valentine's practice is the ethical sourcing of her materials. Since first incorporating feathers into her work in 1999, she has predominantly used feathers gathered from roadkill or naturally moulted by pet birds. By repurposing these overlooked remnants, she encourages viewers to consider the value we place on different species and to question the unconscious hierarchies that classify animals as cherished or expendable, beautiful or ordinary.

 

 

Valentine has received international recognition for her work. She won the 2014 WOW Factor Award at the World of Wearable Art Awards and has received honours including the Cat Advocate Prize for Emerging Artist and the Alice Springs Acquisition Award. Her work is held in the collections of the National Library of Australia, the Northern Territory Art Gallery, and the World of Wearable Art Museum, New Zealand.

 

 

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Opening Celebration
Saturday 8 August, 2026
5:30 ~ 7:30pm
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Artist Talk
Saturday 15 August, 2026
2pm
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Listen to the Artist Talk here

 





 Installation image by Byron Martin

Emily Valentine: Artist Statement & Bio

Feathers are my paint. Over the last twelve years I have developed my own technique and style using feathers.

I create mythical beasts - winged dogs and lizards, and now aeroplanes. The planes moves the work in a new direction - combining the man-made form with the bird. Planes are colonising the skies. Birds no longer dominate our view of the heavens.

In my work I wish to discuss how attitudes to wearing birds parts have changed. Is this just because of fashion, or has society become more caring of animals? I wish to stimulate the viewer with the uncomfortable nature of the feather, to question our callousness treatment of animals and birds, and ask how we sub-consciously classify animals – pet or pest, valued or worthless, beautiful or plain and why.

Emily Valentine is a contemporary mixed media artist living and working in both Australia and her native New Zealand. Using feathers as her paint, Valentine was initially trained as a jeweller, however her work now spans both contemporary wearable art and sculpture. Using feathers from a variety of bird species, Valentine has exhibited her wearable art and three-dimensional work in numerous solo, group and touring exhibitions in both Australia and New Zealand. She has also been a winner and finalist of numerous awards. In 2014, Valentine won the WOW Factor Award in the 2014 World Of Wearable Art, in 2011, she won The Cat Advocate Prize for Emerging artist, for her work Catty Bird and in 2007, she was a recipient of the 30th Alice Springs Acquisition Award, Northern Territory Craft Award for her Dog Flu Series.

Her work his included in the collections of the National Library of Australia, the Northern Territory Art Gallery and the Worldofwearableart Museum in New Zealand. 

Emily Valentine

Emily Valentine: CV May, 2026 Download

Education

1984-1987
Bachelor of Arts (Visual), majoring in Jewellery and Object design
Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney
2007/8
Photography I & II
Australian Centre of Photography, Paddington, Sydney

Solo exhibitions

2024
Feathered Finery, Feathered jeweller
Windowsmith Gallery, Kings Cross, Sydney, NSW
Plumed Pets, Exhibition of feathered Animals
& Gallery, Sorrento, Vic
2023
Feather Features
Water Though Reeds Gallery, Bungendore NSW
2018
Crested Canines, Exhibition of feathered Dogs
Solander Gallery, Wellington, NZ
2017
Preen, New Barbie doll works & dogs
Janet Clayton Gallery Paddington NSW
2015
Queens Down, Exhibition of planes & animals
Milford Gallery, Queenstown, NZ
2014
Feathered Finery, Wearable work including hats
Solander Gallery, Wellington, NZ
Feathery Friends, Exhibition planes & animals
Manning Regional Gallery, Taree NSW
Photographs of my work over the last 10 year
Surry Hill Library, Sydney, NSW
2013
Feather Fanciest
Masterworks Gallery, Ponsonby, Auckland, NZ
2012
Feather Fancier
Tauranga Art Gallery, NZ
Feather Flings
Online exhibition, Jas Hugonnet Gallery
2011
Flying Forward
Online exhibition, Jas Hugonnet Gallery
2010
Feather Fancy
Sarjeant Gallery, Wanganui, NZ
Flying Flings
Craft Act, 180 London Circuit, Canberra ACT
2009
Dog The Bird
Masterworks Gallery, Auckland, NZ
Dogs and Dolls
Newcastle TAFE Foyer, Newcastle, NSW
Mynah Messiah
Tin Sheds Gallery, University of Sydney, NSW
2007
Flown To
Pataka, Porirua Regional Gallery, NZ
2006
Flown
Quoil Gallery, Wellington, NZ
Exciting, Exsighting, Exsiting!
A-Space on Cleveland St, Sydney, NSW

Group exhibitions

2025
Feathered
Manning Regional Gallery, Taree, Mid North Coast.
Pin 10, Platypus Brooches
ANCA Gallery, 1 Rosevear Place Dickson ACT
Momentum, Platypus Booches
Studio Melt, Newcastle,NSW
Profile, JMGA NSW Inc Biannial exhibition of members works
ADC William St Sydney
Ave Mardi Gras – Mother Abyss
LNL Gallery (ex Kerrie Lowe) King St Newtown, NSW
2024
Christmas Show
Water Though Reeds Gallery, Bungendore NSW
JMGA Members Show, Platypus Brooches
Gaffa Gallery Clarence St, Sydney NSW
Peace Talks
Fingersmith Gallery, Kings Cross, Sydney NSW
2023
The Biggest Littlest Show in Town
Defiance Gallery, 12 Mary Place Paddington NSW
Yes Yes Yes
Fingersmith Gallery, Kings Cross, Sydney NSW
2022
Animal
& Gallery, Atrium, Federation Square Melbourne Curated by Julie Collins
At the Met; A Language Queer!
Kerrie Lowe Gallery , King St Newtown, NSW
2021
The Biggest Littlest Show in Town
Defiance Gallery, 12 Mary Place Paddington NSW
Drag Dolls through the Looking Glass
Kerrie Low Gallery, King St Newtown NSW
2019/2020
Play Time
New Artisan Gallery, Milsons Point, Historic and new works
2019
A Time of Gifts - The Art of Giving
Stanley Street Gallery, Darlinghurst NSW
2017
Nature Morte, Still Life in Jewellery
National Museum & Academy of Art & Design, Wroclaw, Poland
2016
Green Spaces, 3 artists using a nature theme
Solander Gallery Wellington, NZ
2015
Art Takes a Holiday
Curve Gallery Newcastle NSW Curator; Linda Swinfield
Beauty & the Beast; Taxidermy in Jewellery
Museum Arnhem, Netherlands Curator; Eveline Holsappel
2011/2018
Off the Wall, World of Wearable Art World Touring Exhibition showing a selection of the very best garments
Budgerigar Brassiere 2002 – Winner Mac Bizarre Bra
2014/15
Wunderruma, Jewellery from NZ
Curated by Karl Fritsch & Warwick Freeman. Germany & NZ
2014
Beautiful Vermin
Gallery Central, Perth WA. Curator; Thelma John
2013
Don’t Shoot the Messenger, Curated Alexis Neal
Solander Gallery, Wellington, NZ
Back to the USSR, a Mardi Gras event
Kerrie Lowe Gallery, Newtown, NSW
2012
Tiny Tatans and Miniliths, Annual miniature show
Defiance Gallery, Newtown, NSW
A Time of Gifts
Stanley St Gallery, Darlinghurst, NSW
Animals
Syndicate at Danks, Waterloo, NSW.
Worlds Apart
Soldier St Gallery, Central, Sydney, NSW
Exploration 12
Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
A4 – Smallworks
Glass Artist Gallery, Glebe, NSW
2011
Christmas Show
Wilson St Gallery, Waterloo, NSW
Excessory, Contemporary Australian Jewellery
Museum & Galleries NSW, Curator; Sarah Samild Shown; Deconstructed Budgie
Animal Instincts
Glass Artist Gallery, Glebe, NSW
Mini Majors, 16th Miniiature Sculpture Exhibition
Defiance Gallery, Newtown, NSW
Manning Art Prize
Manning Regional Gallery, Taree, NSW
Game On
Hastings City Art Gallery, Hastings, NZ
All Creatures Great and Small
Masterworks Gallery, Auckland, NZ
Art and Humour Me, Curated by Gordon Elliot
Brenda May Gallery, Waterloo, NSW
Underfoot, Curated by Kate Ford
Overhead Project Space, Surry Hills, NSW
Animal Collective Nouns, Curated by Julie Morin & Manuela Vasington
Gaffa Gallery, Sydney, NSW
2010
Little Devils, 15th Miniiature Sculpture Exhibition
Defiance Gallery, Newtown, NSW
Green
Brenda May Gallery, Redfern, NSW
Celebrating 40 Years of the Alice Prize 1970 - 2010
Northern Territory Craft, Alice Spring, NT
2008
Private Park
Mary Newton Gallery, Wellington, NZ
Pouch
A-Space Gallery, Sydney, NSW
What Touched My Soul, Photography Exhibition
MAD Gallery, Sydney, NSW
2007
One Small Step for Mankind
Defiance Gallery, Newtown, NSW
Pocket Sculptures
A-Space Gallery, Sydney, NSW
Curios, Curated Kellee Uhr
Redlands Regional Art Gallery, Brisbane, QLD
Weird, Wild and Wonderful
A-Space Gallery, Sydney, NSW
Norseweart, New Zealand Contemporary Art Award 2007
Hawkes Bay, Exhibition Centre, Hastings, NZ
50 Brooches, Curated by Andrea
Higgins CQ Gallery, Craft Queensland, Brisbane, QLD
Explorations, Curated Liz Paul
Gaffa Galley, Sydney, NSW
Black and White
Glass artist Gallery, Glebe, NSW
2006
6x6x6 Show
Defiance Gallery, Newtown, NSW
Canine Capers
A-Space Gallery, Sydney, NSW
JOC (Jewellery out of Context), Curated by Peter Deckers & Sandra Shaw
Touring to Sydney, Auckland, Hallifax, Canada, Europe.
Out of Site, JMGA NSW Inc members’ exhibition at the
Pyrmont Studio Gallery, NSW
4th Annual Dog Exhibition
A-Space Gallery, Sydney, NSW
2005
Junk Love
Reverse Garbage, Marrickville, NSW
29th Alice Springs Acquisition Award
Northern Territory Craft Award
2004-2005
Anti-War Medals
Touring exhibition facilitated by Velet da Vinci, San Francisco, USA. Travelling to Oslo, Copenhagen, Valencia, London
Melding
Touring exhibition of eight Regional Australian Galleries
2003
National Contemporary Jewellery Award
Griffith Regional Gallery, Griffith, QLD
Worldofwearableart Award
Nelson, NZ
Soapbox, JMGA NSW Inc Members exhibition
Pyrmont Studio, Sydney, NSW
2002
28th Alice Springs Acquisition Award
Northern Territory Craft Award
Junk Love
Reverse Garbage, Sydney, NSW & Casula Powerhouse, Liverpool, NSW
National Contemporary Jewellery Award
Griffith Regional Gallery, Griffith, QLD
2001 Contemporary Jewellery and Metalwork
JMGA NSW, Makers Mark, Sydney, NSW
27th Alice Springs Acquisition Award
Northern Territory Craft Award
Sites of Adornment, JMGA National exhibition
Doggett St Studio, Brisbane, QLD
Hermann’s Art Award
Span Galleries, Melbourne and Mornington Peninsular Regional Gallery, VIC
5th National Contemporary Jewellery Award
Griffith Regional Gallery, Griffith, QLD

Please note, this is a revised version of Emily Valentine's CV. If you would like to view the full CV (including pre. 2002), please contact the gallery.

Awards and achievements

2023
Highly Commended, T R Nelson Sculpture Prize, Cubed Lorikeet
Wellington NZ
Artist in Residence
Bunganon, NSW Dorothy Dwyer silver smithing Studio, funded JMGA NSW Inc
2022
Peoples Choice Award, Sculpture Bermagui
Bermagui, NSW
2019
Real State Tenancies, 10 photographic posters about tenancies for Edge City
Shown outdoors in Sydenham and in Balmain. Grant - Inner West Council
Photographic commission of my work for 5 traffic light boxes
Sydney
2018
“The Silent Majority Sees.” Photo collage of local people and the destruction by West Connex project. Printed 7.5m banner. Grant
Inner West Council Art Seat
2017
Chinese New Year Shopping Centre Display in Hong Kong. 3 commissioned works, plus 15 pieces shown in foyer. Artist talk, TV and magazine coverage
Hong Kong
2015
Artist in Residence
Tasmanian Craft Fair, Deloraine Tasmania
2014
Winner, WOW Factor Award
World of Wearable Art (WOW)
2011
Emerging artist, Miniature Sculpture
The Cat Advocate prize, Defiance Gallery, Newtown, NSW
Residency, Gunyah Cottage
Fries Trust, North Arm Cove, NSW
2010
Residency, Tylee Cottege
Sargeant Gallery, Whanganui, NZ
2009
Off the Wall
Royal Exhibition Centre, Melbourne Art Fair, VIC
2007
30th Alice Springs Acquisition Award
Northern Territory Craft Award, Alice Springs, NT
Merit Prize, Norseweart, NZ Comtemporary Art Award
Hastings Regional Gallery, NZ
2005
Wearable Art section, Junk Love
Reverse Garbage, Marrickville, NSW
2002
Mac's Bizarre Bra
WOW, Nelson, NZ

Collections

2015             Dowse Gallery Lower Hutt, NZ, Kingfisher Brooch 2013

2014             World Of Wearable Art, Museum, Nelson NZ, Sulphur Crested Frockatoo 2014

2014             Wallace Collection, Auckland NZ Feathered plane series Lori Liner 2014

2010             Sarjeant Gallery, Whanganui, New Zealand. Kingfisher Squadron & Pheasbin

2008             National Library of Australia, ACT “200 Years Since the First Carving” Poster made 1988

2007             Northern Territory Art Gallery, NT Australia. Galah Collie 2007

2002             World Of Wearable Art, Collection and Museum, Nelson NZ, Budgerigar Brassiere

Wardrobe Departments of ABC, SBS, Channel 7, Babe 2, Various TV & Print Advertisements, Local Theatre, New Theatre, Newtown School of Performing Arts

Grants

2004-2005
Vision Grant, Received to co-curate 'Melding' (Nationally touring exhibition)
Australian Federal Government

Reviews and publicity

2024             ABC TV segment on Saturday Moring show. Available on Utube. Producer Angela. https://youtu.be/KQLQ63-hhYU?si=QPp-62wKKylJ9j00

2023             RNZ Radio National, Nine to Noon, Kathrine Ryan - https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/search/results?q=May+2023+artist&commit=Search

Off the Wall, World of Wearableart published by WOW NZ. Page 50-51 ISBN 978-1-877517-42-6

Radio review on Kim Hill’s show, Art with Mary Kisler Sat am 19.02.2011

Photo of Labrakeet (Doggie Dogma) Also photo repeated small on cover.

The Planner, p.23 Spectrum, SMH Feb 19-20 2011   

Cover photo on Art Zone No 37 Nov 2010 - Feb 2011 ISSN; 1176-3752

Familiar Figures given the feather treatment, River City Press Vol 25 No 17 May 20, 2010 Page 3. (article with photo)

The Feathered Familiar by Yolande Norris, Feb, 2010   http://www.craftact.org.au/exhibitions/2010EX1G1.php

Feather Forms, Cool Glassware by Kerry-Anne Cousins Canberra Times – Times2,  04 March, 2010, p.8 (article with photos)

Out of the Ordinary by Ron Cerabona, Canberra Times – Times2, 17 Feb 2010 p.8 (article with photo)

Listing, Art Guide Australia, Jan/Feb 2010 p.146

Canberra Sunday Times – Relax Magazine 7 Feb 2010 pg.2

Canberra Weekly 16 Feb 2010 p. 14

Flying Flings, Planner P20 Spectrum, Sydney Morning Herald, Feb 13-14 2010

Visual Arts, John McDonald, Critics, Spectrum, Sydney Morning Herald, Nov 14-15 09    

I Make Stuff by Ramona Barry & Rebecca Jobson p 36-39  Handmade Life blurb.com

Choice viewing and text, Jill Stonwell, The Herald Newcastle, P19 July 11 2009

Open Gallery, Lissa Christopher, Critics, Spectrum, Sydney Morning Herald, July4-5 09    

Preview, P 20 The Sunday Age April 12 2009 Visual Arts Penny Modra

Caprice, P20 Yen Magazine, Issue 38 2009 www.yenmag.net

Myna Art, Ross Bray, News Hour, ABC, Asia channel, 16/02/09

Melding, Uniting Many to Strengthen All, Contemporary Jewellery Exhibition, ISBN 0 646 44 029

Dominion Post May 2 2008 Page B8 Entertainment Our Picks incl photo

North & South Issue 264 Page 25 Dogs of a Feather incl photo

City Life Oct 11 2007 Flights of Fancy Page 8 incl photos

Various Newspapers in NZ announcing the prize winners for the Norsewear Contemporary Art Award April 2007     

Metro, Sydney Morning Herald, 2006

Feather Friends, Capital Times, Wellington NZ 2005

Beading a Bracelet, Growing Today, NZ May 2003

Highly Strung, Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney. Jan 2003

Corsets & Cubists, The Independent Magazine, UK. Dec 2002

Montana Wearable Arts Awards The Nelson Mail (Sept)

Most Local NZ newspapers showing the prize-winners. Photo, Article & State Report, Lemel, Australia. Summer 2002/03

Editorial Comment, Lemel. Spring 2002

Photos, Queen Victoria Building, Sydney. Spring/Summer 2002

Seeing Red, Cosmopolitan, Australia. May 2001

Clobber, Ralph, Australia. July 2000

Free City, New York, USA. Nov 2000

Shopping Around, Cleo, Australia. May 1999

100 Years Triumphant, QVB, Sydney. Spring/Summer 98/99

Smarts Issue 12, Dec 97 page 28 ISSN 1323-5095

Souvenirs, Object, Object Magazine, Australia. Autumn 1996

94 Griffith Biennial, Lemel, Summer 94-95

State Report, Lemel, Summer 94-95

On Enmore Road, Newtown Bridge, Sydney. Jan 93

Native Narrative

Emily Valentine

August 6-29, 2026

Represented Artists

Group Exhibition

October 16-November 3, 2018

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