My multidisciplinary practice explores my experience growing up with severe scoliosis which
resulted in undergoing spinal fusion surgery as a teenager. Distortion is a key element of my
practice as I examine how scoliosis affected both my physical body and my mental health.
Materiality and contrast play a fundamental role in my practice as I create strong juxtapositions
between sharp and strong materials and softer fabrics to create a sense of fragility and resilience. I
choose to produce abstract pieces so that my works are ambiguous, inviting the viewer to find
aspects of their own lives within the sculptures or images.
My most recent body of work explores the process of paper cut out by hand. A tedious and painful
process which mirrors the chronic pain caused by scoliosis. The designs of the paper cut out
pieces were created by casting a shadow on a metal spine. The spine and the light source would be
moved regularly throughout the process to create a distorted image. This process reflects how the
internal organs and rib cage gets distorted and moved out of place as the spinal curvature
increases with time while the children are waiting on the waiting list for essential surgery. My
degree show piece entitled ‘232’ is a paper cut out spine which is composed of 232 vertebrae. Each
vertebrae represents one of the 232 children who were on the waiting list for scoliosis and spina
bifida surgery in Ireland as of November 2025 when the piece was created. The piece is made of
light paper, held together by staples making it fragile and flimsy. The monumental length of the
piece demonstrates the sheer scale of the issue, making it a strong piece to raise awareness about
the children on the waiting list.