Valerie Giannandrea was born in Falkirk, Scotland, and studied at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee, and at the University of Ulster, Coleraine.

She has exhibited in many group shows in Northern Ireland and Scotland. Her work has received several awards, such as the Benson and Hedges Gold Award, the Greenshields Foundation prize in Canada and a finalist's medal at the Anna Cheyne Awards, Lisburn. She has been commissioned to create works for many private clients, including the British Council, Bodley Head Publishers, London, Island records, London, Oxford university Press, Irish News, Belfast, and South Bank Architects, London. Her work also features in the following private collections: Neil Shawcross at University of Ulster, Rory and Helen Shearer, Dr Robert Millar at Queens University Belfast and Bloomfield Collegiate.