artists
every piece has a story, and every story begins with an artist
PARAPARAUMU, NEW ZEALAND · SUSTAINABLE FIBRE & MIXED-MEDIA ARTIST
Kirsty Glasgow
Kirsty Glasgow is a Paraparaumu-based sustainable artist whose work begins with a deep appreciation for the textures, colours and forms found in nature. Working with seaweed, natural fibres, roots, bark, vines and driftwood, she transforms gathered materials into tactile artworks that celebrate their original beauty.
about
Every day, Kirsty Glasgow immerses herself in the natural environment, noticing everything from the most delicate fragments to the weathered materials that continue to stand strong.
Her artistic practice developed during a period when her health encouraged her to slow down. This change of pace allowed Kirsty to look more closely at the natural world and reconnect with her creativity.
An interest in the seaweed species found along the Kāpiti Coast led her to begin researching biodegradable plastics. Through extensive experimentation, failures and discoveries, Kirsty developed her own earth-friendly material using raw natural ingredients.
While these biodegradable forms dry, she works with her collection of fibres, roots, bark, vines and driftwood. Materials are carefully selected and often transformed into yarn before being woven or knitted into new sculptural forms.
Kirsty’s approach is guided by the material itself. Rather than disguising its origins, she seeks to reveal the distinctive textures, markings and imperfections that give each natural element its character.
Her practice may also incorporate vintage, rustic and rusted objects, alongside reclaimed materials such as packaging, silver milk seals, bread tags and used tea bags. However, the treasures she discovers in nature remain at the heart of her work.
Kirsty studies creativity through The Learning Connexion in Wellington, having completed the New Zealand Certificate in Creativity with excellence and the New Zealand Diploma in Creativity Level 5. She is continuing her studies towards the Level 6 diploma.
Her work has been selected for exhibitions and awards throughout New Zealand. Kirsty received a Merit Award at Arotake Toi | Mahara Arts Review and was selected for the Academy Prize for Visual Art, The Taranaki Collection and Changing Threads National Contemporary Textile & Fibre Art Awards.
She has also undertaken an artist residency at From Out of the Blue Studio Gallery in Ōpunake and regularly participates in the Kāpiti Coast Art Trail.
Alongside her own practice, Kirsty has taught creative classes within a rehabilitation programme for people living with traumatic brain injuries, encouraging participants to explore materials and discover their own forms of expression.
Through patience, curiosity and experimentation, Kirsty gives natural and overlooked materials a new presence while remaining connected to the landscapes from which they came.
Because sometimes the materials left behind carry their own quiet invitation to create.
Kirsty Glasgow
Fine banana fibres form a suspended, open structure, shifting from dense earthy browns to delicate golden strands.
In Connections, Kirsty Glasgow reveals the unexpected beauty of withered banana stems. A long, narrow form brings together tangled fibres and delicate, grid-like layers, allowing light to pass through and cast intricate shadows. Its uneven surface and loose strands retain the character of the natural material.
The work began with a banana plant destined for the compost heap. Looking closely, Kirsty discovered fine fibres and paper-like networks within its decaying stems. These contrasting layers reflect her ongoing connection with nature and her sustainable practice, finding creative possibilities in materials that might otherwise be discarded.
This suspended sculpture would bring texture and quiet presence to an entryway, stairwell or living room, where space around it allows its intricate structure and shadows to be appreciated.
Organic · Textural · Delicate
Banana plant fibres · Suspended sculpture 1880 x 260 x 260