The Light Within

I'm absolutely thrilled to have my stained glass piece The Light Within selected for the Royal Ulster Academy's 145th Annual Exhibition at the Ulster Museum.

I've always been drawn to the little things that are often overlooked.

Living on Strangford Lough, with the beautiful County Down coastline on my doorstep, I spend a lot of time walking on the beach. In addition to my obsession with seaweed, I'm particularly fascinated by the wonderfully tactile smooth pebbles washed up along the shore threaded with beautiful white veins of quartz.

I often wonder about their story, how long they've been there and the forces that have shaped them.

It was these stones that became the starting point for The Light Within.

The piece depicts five pebbles balanced one on top of another, with the moon above them representing its pull on the tides. The pale quartz veins running through the stones are revealed by carefully etching away layers of colour from mouth-blown glass.

I've used etching and traditional glass painting to bring the piece to life, techniques that have remained largely unchanged for centuries.

I like to imagine these pebbles holding the energy of the sea within them, memories gathered from countless tides and held within the stone. For me, the pale veins of quartz seem to offer a glimpse of that hidden energy.

I wanted to take these simple forms and give them a moment in the light.

It’s a real honour to be part of this exhibition alongside some amazing artists.

The exhibition opens to the public at the Ulster Museum on Sunday 18th October 2026 and runs until Sunday 3rd January.