24 September 2022 – 12 March 2023, Research Gallery National Glass Centre
I was awarded a bursary to develop new work as part of the NGC Glass Prize, here is my research to date with further info below. Photos Colin Davison

During the pandemic, we were frequently advised against coming into close contact with others. I had my first baby in 2020 and a second in 2021, so it has felt like a paradoxical situation for me as I have never before had so much skin-to-skin contact with others.

It has been fascinating to see the tiny hairs on my babies as I watch them grow. This led me to think more deeply about how hairs are the receptors to convey touch sensation. Making hairs out of glass, that break when touched, became a way to start exploring ‘matrescence’ – the physical, psychological and emotional changes that occur during the process of becoming a mother – during this extraordinary time in my life. The work makes reference to rituals and mementos, and seeks to acknowledge moments that are both precious and often precarious.

As well as space and time to focus on my practice, the bursary allowed me the opportunity to flamework with Zoe Garner, have regular mentoring sessions with Helen Maurer, visit Collect art fair in London and work with musician Marc Rigelsford, with whom I collaborated to make the short film ‘Transition’. Thank you to Glass and Ceramics students Hannah Masi and Hannah Peverley for their assistance. 

Made possible thanks to NGC Glass Centre Bursaries that are generously supported by the Garfield Weston Foundation through the Weston Culture Fund, and delivered by National Glass Centre.