Kirrily Hammond's practice equally covers painting, printmaking and drawing and is directly inspired by her surroundings.  Study and travel experiences emerge in evocative images that depict the inner world of imagination and intuition.  Kirrily’s works are points of intersection between the landscapes of the imagination and those physically experienced by the artist.  Enigmatic and dreamlike scenes invite silent contemplation as they explore the intricacies of human interactions and personal experience.  Often atmospheric effects in her imagery are employed to infer romantic and nostalgic mental states.  19th century literature and art of the Symbolism movement are important points of departure for Kirrily’s work.  As Sasha Grishin has noted, “she is an artist who revels and triumphs at creating a sense of other-worldliness, and in elevating the ordinary to a higher realm”.

Born in Newcastle, Kirrily Hammond studied at the Canberra School of Art and Glasgow School of Art, graduating with Honours in 1997.  She completed a Masters in curatorship at the University of Melbourne in 2002, leading her to a successful career as a curator within state, regional and academic art institutions.  She has been exhibiting her work in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne since 1995 and her career has blossomed over this time.  Kirrily was employed in the Australian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2003 and, in 2005, was awarded a Harold Wright Scholarship to study the prints & drawings collection at the British Museum in London, UK. Her work is held in numerous private collections as well as at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland, Australian National University, University of Wollongong and the Warrnambool and Latrobe Regional Art Galleries.