Kirrily Anderson: Bold Artistry Rooted in Community

6 June

CREATIVE WARRIOR SERIES

At Britt White Studio, we love celebrating the inspiring creatives who enrich our region with their vision and craft. This month, we’re thrilled to introduce Kirrily Anderson, a gifted visual artist whose work transforms spaces with striking murals, delicate details, and thoughtful storytelling.

Britt had the privilege of collaborating with Kirrily through her volunteer role on the Board of the Bright Community Bank (Bendigo Bank). As part of a branch renovation project led by Britt, she engaged Kirrily to design an 8 metre mural, a vibrant piece celebrating the gifting of over $1 million in funds delivered to local community groups through the Bank over the past 18 years. The brief was to tell the story of the bank’s approach, ‘have the muscle of a business with the heart of a charity’, and to weave as many community groups as she could into the mural. Kirrily’s interpretation resulted in a brilliant and colourful abstract depiction of our community and everyone in it, clustered along the Ovens River, the flowing lifeblood of which everything exists. This collaboration beautifully illustrated the bank's commitment to investing in the growth of a resilient, thriving and sustainable community in Bright and its surrounds.

We sat down with Kirrily to learn more about her creative journey, her artistic philosophy and the inspirations that shape her work.

BWS: How would you describe your business and the products or services you provide?

KA: I am a visual artist, working across murals, work on paper and occasional installations. My practice focuses on transforming spaces with bold shapes, intricate details and distinctive colour palettes, creating a unique visual experience for each environment.

Mural at Community Bank Bright has something for everyone

So much to explore in Kirrily Anderson's mural

How would you describe your creative or design aesthetic?

I would describe my creative aesthetic as a blend of simplicity and complexity, rooted in my background as a graphic designer. I’m drawn to clean, minimal forms, but I love to add layers of intricate detail that invite closer inspection. My work often incorporates soft, nature-inspired colour palettes, creating a harmonious balance between bold shapes and subtle nuances. This aesthetic allows me to bring a sense of calm and depth to spaces, while still maintaining a strong visual impact.

High Country cattlemen and women are an integral part of the Bright community

Bold colour adorn Kirril Anderson's mural

What makes you unique and sets you apart from your peers?

My background as a graphic designer gives me a unique eye for composition, balance and detail and my work often walks the line between bold and subtle, which creates an emotional connection. I also have a strong focus on storytelling, often weaving elements of place, memory or community into my work.

What part of the creative process is most exciting for you and why?

The concept development stage is always an exciting part of my creative process, it's where the seed of an idea begins to take shape. For me, it often follows a kind of bell curve: it starts with the spark of inspiration, a flurry of ideas and endless possibilities. Then comes the challenging but rewarding phase of translating those ideas into a visual story: testing, refining, discovering what works and what doesn't. Eventually, everything clicks into place. That moment of clarity, when the concept and visual language align perfectly, is my happy place!

Describe a project, product, success or collaboration you are most proud of and why?

Love Letters to the 'Bidgee - a series of works on paper and murals created for Wagga Wagga Base Hospital in 2023 - is a project that will always remain close to my heart. Rooted in the idea of connection: to place, to memory, and to the Murrumbidgee River (which holds deep cultural and emotional significance for the local community), my work was shaped by local stories and shared sentiments. The visual narrative unfolded through a 33m long mural, window decals and four large-scale watercolour works on paper, all designed to bring warmth, reflection, and a sense of calm to the hospital environment. It was a deeply meaningful project that demonstrated the power of art to uplift, comfort, and create connection, particularly in a space centred on healing and care. Witnessing the emotional and positive responses from staff, patients and visitors made the experience incredibly rewarding.

If you have undertaken any type of training (formal or informal), please advise what and where.

I completed a Diploma of Graphic Art at NMIT in Melbourne and worked in the industry for over a decade before moving into a visual art practice. Building on my graphic design skills, I’ve continued to develop creative techniques informally through residencies, mentorships, and lots of hands-on mural work.

Where do you find your inspiration?

Nature is a big inspiration, particularly the quiet beauty found in regional landscapes, but I love to complement elements of nature with inspiration found in architecture, fashion and all forms of design. I’m fascinated by how shape and colour can influence emotion and my practice often explores how art can invite people to slow down, notice the small details and connect more deeply with their surroundings. More recently, I’ve been exploring the idea of play, something I feel is being lost in the fast pace of modern life. By encouraging a sense of curiosity and lightness, I hope to remind people of the joy in slowing down and reconnecting with a more playful, present way of being.

Tell us a little bit about your creative journey and what led you to live and work in this stunning region of ours.

After years of working as a graphic designer in Melbourne, I found myself drawn to more hands-on, expressive forms of art. I became involved in the street art scene at a time when it was booming in Collingwood and Fitzroy, interning at a gallery around 2009–10 and spending nights putting up paste-ups across the city and inner suburbs. That experience opened up a whole new world for me and I began shifting my focus from design to creating and exhibiting my own artwork.

Eventually, I began craving a deeper connection to nature, fresh air and a slower lifestyle, which led me to move to regional Victoria. The gentle pace, open landscapes and genuine connections have allowed my creative practice to flourish. There’s so much richness in regional stories and environments. Having grown up in regional NSW, I feel more connected to the community being back in a regional area and am incredibly fortunate to be able to reflect and respond to that through my work.

Kirrily Anderson ecstatic with the final results of her mural at Community Bank Bright

Britt Howard of Britt White Studio is ecstatic with the mural by Kirrily Anderson

If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?

For some time now, I’ve been hugely inspired by artist and designer Alex Proba. I admire how she has continuously expanded and diversified her creative practice, always exploring new ways to interpret her style. From graphic design to bold murals and product design, she pushes boundaries and stays ahead of trends while maintaining a distinctive, playful visual style. Her willingness to experiment with materials and step into new areas of creativity is something I deeply respect, yet her signature style remains unmistakably hers. (BWS: We are massive fans of Alex as well, in particular the Proba Home collection, which “offers vibrant, thoughtful, unexpected objects to live with” and the Mural work she does with paint and tiles on the floors of swimming pools).

For young creatives starting out, what’s the best piece of advice you would give them?

Don’t wait for permission. Make things, share your work, and stay curious. Ask questions, take risks and make mistakes…they will be your best teacher! Being an artist isn’t a 9-to-5 job, it’s woven into the way we think, observe and connect. Everything you do, everyone you meet and every place you go contributes to your creative practice. The most important thing is to keep showing up for your practice and always love what you do. When you stop loving it, create space to change things up; this will keep you fresh, inspired and connected.

COMMERCIAL

Explore some of Britt White Studio’s other commercial interior design projects.

On behalf of the entire team at Britt White Studio and Community Bank Bright, we want to thank Kirrily for her beautiful mural celebrating our community and would encourage all of you to see it in situ…just swing by the branch!