Gill Hackett - Artist

Gill Hackett selfie

Gill Hackett is a maker of papier mâché vessels. She lives and works in Horsley Gloucestershire, England. For many years Gill was a self-employed decorator and then gardener. Nearing retirement she completed a Foundation Course in Art and Design at Stroud Art College where she was given the opportunity to experiment with a wide range of media including ceramics and stone carving.

After completing the course it was the flexibility and endless possibilities of papier mâché that gripped her imagination. For some years she has shown her work in local Open Studio Festivals through local Cotswold galleries including Wetpaint Gallery, The Compton Gallery and The Caerbladon Gallery and further afield in The Orie Gallery in Tokyo.

 “Much of my inspiration comes from the natural world including lichens, mosses, seed heads and rock textures, in English gardens and wilder places such as the western isles of the Outer Hebrides.

I create decorative, useful and sculptural pieces using a traditional process that involves recycling a particular grade of newsprint. Usually starting with a mould the pieces are gradually hand built until the desired form emerges allowing the opportunity to create something most unexpected.  As well as being beautifully unique they are surprisingly diverse in size, shape, colour and texture and are often mistaken for ceramic, stone and even metal vessels, depending on the choice of finish. I really enjoy seeing people’s reactions on discovering that they are created from newsprint.

Papier Mâché is surprisingly robust and historically has been used as an alternative to plaster for highly decorated ceilings both to reduce weight and often to increase the depth of relief. It has also been used to make jewellery, wood effect wall panelling, furniture and even a canoe, proving it to be a remarkably resourceful material.”