Catherine explores the potential of kiln formed glass as a medium to express both fragility and strength. She works with tension and balance within the forms as a way to express her personal and emotional state. She enjoys the movement of natural light across the glass forms that continually change shadows and reflections, some harsh and striking, others soft and subtle. These contrasts echo the often, ambivalent feelings expressed in her work.

Catherine is interested in structure, materials and making often crossing and mixing the use of materials, especially ceramics and textiles. She draws influence from the structure of other materials in the production of glass sculpture.

The use of textile patterns and construction are an important influence as they connect with memories and feelings linked to motherhood and relationships. The use of glass as a hard material formed in conjunction with these along with the use of ‘mending thread’ stitched amongst the forms help to convey the need to fix or make something better. The fragile and vulnerable qualities of glass are challenged by the tension in the forms highlighted by the stitched or bound mending thread to emphasis tension. Parts of the sculptures are kiln formed so that they purposefully don’t stand up on their own, exploring relationships between each element of the pieces as they rely on each other to balance and work together. This body of work explores ideas of tension and vulnerability, compromise and balance.