Catherine Forsyth & Helen Pailing were awarded bursaries to develop new work as part of the National Glass Centre Prize. This exhibition presents their research to date.

Pailing (work pictured): “It has been fascinating to see the tiny hairs on my babies [she has two] 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 of exploring ‘matrescence – the physical, psychological and emotional changes that occur during the process of becoming a mother.” Forsyth: “My aim in starting these works was to investigate the emotional and physical impact of my cancer diagnosis in 2018. The event altered my notion of self, it changed who I was. How could I convey this feeling? How could I capture it in my work?”

Catherine Forsyth & Helen Pailing, until 12 March, National Glass Centre, Sunderland. sunderlandculture.org.uk