Gill McCaughey

I live in Wellington. My art career started in 1997, manufacturing leadlights, then in 2014 a change in direction saw me studying at The Learning Connexion in Lower Hutt, where I gained a level 6 diploma in Creativity and Art. My main area of interest is core casting glass, which is mainly self taught.

The more challenging a project, the more it inspires me. I  really enjoy  the process of mould making, especially core casting. The act of handing my work over to the Kiln gods to have their say has also become a very important part of the process. I love the reflective nature and quality of glass, and the way it's beauty draws people in.

My influences come from nature, conservation and the environment. I have been involved in conservation projects in Borneo, volunteering working hands on with Orangutan for 2 months in 2015 and in Djibouti on a whale sharks research expedition in 2019. Both projects were truly life changing events, which have given real purpose and meaning to my art.  Each piece of work I create tells its own story. My calling now is to continue to raise awareness to the plight of  threatened and endangered species.

Ripped: This piece of core cast glass is a commentary on the impact of climate change on the natural world. The processes involved in creating the piece and the forces within the kiln directly correlate to the forces at work in the Arctic region at present. By using a representation of a mass produced toy I am critiquing industrialism and consumerism, illustrating how mankind’s actions are destroying the environment. The final harrowing message this piece leaves us with is that the core or negative space is a metaphor for all we have lost. Is this truly the legacy we want to leave for future generations?