Small Observations

I’m so excited to share that Small Observations, my collaborative work with the incredibly talented Liz McAuliffe, has just been awarded a Merit Award at the 2025 Franklin Arts Festival.

It’s always inspiring to walk through the exhibition, see the breadth of talent on display, and feel the buzz of people engaging with art.

The Collaboration

Liz and I have been talking about working together for a while, and Small Observations was our chance to bring those ideas to life. We wanted to explore the quiet beauty in overlooked details, the things you might pass every day without noticing, but which hold a world of texture, colour, and meaning when you pause to really look.

For me, that meant further work on my fascinariums; blown glass domes that capture the essence of Victorian-era collections. Paired with Liz’s delicate white porcelain ceramics, we created something that neither of us could have made alone.

Why “Small Observations”?

The name speaks to our shared fascination with moments that often go unseen. A single curled leaf, the play of shadow through a window, or the unexpected beauty in a weathered surface. They’re fleeting and easily missed, but they can shift the way you see the world.

By being mindful of these moments, we hoped to invite viewers to slow down and notice them in their everyday lives, too.

Receiving the Merit Award

Winning a Merit Award was a lovely surprise. It’s always an honour to have your work recognised, but it’s especially meaningful when the award is for an open-ended creative collaboration. Liz has more work in her kiln for me, and I'm excited to get my hands on the pieces.

A huge thank you to the Franklin Arts Festival organisers, the judges, and everyone who came along to view the exhibition. And of course, a big thank you to Liz for being such a generous and inspiring collaborator.

If you’d like to learn more about Small Observations and my other collaborative projects, you can read more here.