Lakeside exhibition- Quiver by Kate MccGwire

Quiver by Kate MccGwire

I recently saw Quiver by Kate MccGwire at Lakeside Arts. I had actually seen her work there before, alongside other artists in Reimagining the Times, so it was lovely to experience more of her work again, this time solely focused on her.

Kate MccGwire is a London-based artist who uses ethically sourced bird feathers to create sculptural forms inspired by nature. Her work explores the tension between beauty and something slightly unsettling. The pieces feel delicate and seductive, yet also provoke a quiet discomfort, reminding us that nature is not always gentle.

The pictures above show feathers displayed in a box for people to pick up and feel. They were so soft. I loved the teal highlight on the black feathers. It reminded me of a petrol spill.

PLETHORA 2022

PLETHORA 2022

This piece was inspired by old copper stills Kate MccGwire saw in the Scottish Highlands. She described them as large, swollen forms, almost like abandoned spaceships. Their warm orange, copper and green interior patina inspired the work.

In PLETHORA, she combines these copper elements with pheasant feathers. I love how it feels both industrial and natural at the same time, strong yet delicate, which is something that runs throughout much of her practice.

DISCHARGE 2010

DISCHARGE was amazing to look at. The scale, almost 10,000 feathers, and the way they appear to pour and splash, along with the flowing pattern, I loved it all. I do not particularly like pigeons, as to me they are flying vermin, but this piece was sheer perfection.

I cannot imagine how long it must have taken to arrange the feathers into separate piles of left curving and right curving forms.   

'BROOD' 2004

In the previous exhibition Reimagining the Times, I saw MccGwire create a sphere made from mice skulls. This chicken wishbone piece reminded me of that. I had to take a close up of Brood because the execution was so beautiful. I really liked the cast shadow created by the wishbones as it created more depth to the piece.

CAVORT (WEST) 2020

This piece was originally commissioned for Harewood House in West Yorkshire. Kate MccGwire was inspired by the grand and highly decorative interiors of the house when creating it.

The work is made entirely from pheasant feathers. Pheasants are often bred and shot for sport in the UK and Europe, but 'CAVORT' marked the end of that practice at Harewood House. Now the birds are free to roam in the grounds, which adds another layer of meaning to the piece. I like how something once associated with control and hunting has been transformed into something powerful and beautiful. 

 

TORSION 2024

GYRE 2012

MERCURIAL 2023

VISCERA 2018

Zoomed in VISCERA 2018

TORSION, GYRE, MERCURIAL and VISCERA all instantly made me think of snakes. They twist and coil as if they are moving, which makes them feel alive. There is something beautiful about them, but also something slightly unsettling. You feel drawn in, yet at the same time a little cautious.

GYRE really stood out because of its sheer size. It was huge and took over the white space which contrasted against the black crow feathers. Even though it is made from soft feathers, it felt strong and powerful, almost muscular. The scale made it impossible to ignore.

TORSION and MERCURIAL were two other pieces I was drawn to. TORSION was made from the same rooster feathers as the ones I picked up to touch when I arrived, while MERCURIAL was created using magpie feathers. The magpie feathers have more of a blue tinge, whereas the rooster feathers carry a greener tone. Both magpie and rooster feathers have that shiny, petrol spill effect that I like. They catch the light and look almost oily and iridescent. It felt rich and hypnotic.

VISCERA felt more raw and internal. Something you are not usually meant to see, almost like intestines. I love how she takes something delicate like feathers and turns them into forms that feel strong, seductive and slightly dangerous all at the same time.

PELLUCID COPSE 2025

Zoomed in PELLUCID COPSE 2025

Video of PELLUCID COPSE 2025

I made this short video of PELLUCID COPSE (2025) by Kate MccGwire. I was really drawn to why she created this piece. It came from her time working with 3D printing, where she noticed the discarded plastic remnants left behind after printing. Instead of seeing them as waste, she saw something organic and full of potential.

She repurposes these forgotten materials, much like she does with feathers, transforming them into something beautiful. I feel like this reflects my own thought process when I create. It is about looking closely, being thoughtful, and finding meaning in what others might overlook. One man trash is another man's treasure.

GLITCH 2024

Zoomed in GLITCH 2024

This abstract collage series really made me think differently about my own painting journey. In GLITCH, Kate MccGwire cuts, fractures and reassembles velvety ink drawings so the surface feels like it is shifting between order and chaos. The shapes almost look cellular or planetary, but never fully settle into one clear image.

The works are made using AIR-INK®, which is created from captured air pollution. I find that so powerful. She is literally turning waste into something thoughtful and beautiful yet again. It has made me think about how I can push my own abstract work further, maybe breaking it apart and rebuilding it in new ways.

Overall, this exhibition really stayed with me. Kate MccGwire’s work feels thoughtful, powerful and slightly unsettling all at once. It has opened my mind to new ways of working and reminded me that there is beauty to be found in materials and ideas that others might overlook.