Artist Bio
Mhairi Wardrop was born in Evanston, Illinois, in 2003. She learned sewing and knitting from her grandmother at age six and has since continued to explore fiber arts and its complexities. Her childhood was driven by a passion for the arts, including playing piano and trumpet, taking dance classes, and sitting in on her mom’s painting classes at the local community center. After graduating from high school in 2021, she attended The University of St. Andrews in Scotland (where her parents and extended family are from) to study Art History and Film History.
Although she loved engaging with the literary and academic community, she missed the physical making of art. In 2023, she transferred to The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), where she enjoys learning alongside other upcoming artists and delving into her creative practice. At the Ox-Bow School of Art and Artist Residency in Saugatuck, Michigan, she discovered a passion for sculptural practices such as woodworking, stained glass, and glassblowing. With upcoming exhibitions at Access Living and SAIC Galleries in Chicago, she is excited to see where her practice takes her next.
Artist Statement
For me, art is a way of coping with a disabled body that experiences chronic pain, serving as a vital outlet to express experiences that are not always recognized or understood. Art is an extension of my body, shaping how I move through the world, process, and communicate. Almost all of my art is created sitting down, and this physical limitation determines the mediums I choose, grounding my practice in a “body-first” perspective that directly engages with themes of the human body, pain and disability. In my art, I want to honor the ways disabled artists have always contributed to traditional making, even when they have been overlooked. Ultimately, I hope my work pushes back against the narrow ideas of what separates fine art meant for a gallery and domestic craft.
My practice lives at the intersection of fiber art and glass. I was first introduced to glass through glassblowing, but found it too demanding on the body. I was then drawn to stained glass because of my background in quilting. I discovered both mediums share remarkably similar processes and methods: piecework, precision in pattern-making, and flattened compositions. While growing up Catholic introduced me to stained glass in churches, my passion extends beyond religious themes into new territory.
A big part of my practice is slowing down. I deliberately work with time-consuming, repetitive methods because they allow me to remain fully present with my materials and with myself. The process matters just as much as the finished piece. I want to show that care, patience and precision hold deep value and that handicraft is testament to endurance, vulnerability, and resilience.
