Liz Waugh is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice encompasses research, sculpture, and digital technologies. Through her work she is equally keen to engage in artistic collaboration, and community. She specialises in glass alongside other materials. Liz Waugh’s practice includes a wide range of media, sound and animation. Her interactive artworks engage viewers multi-modally in diverse narratives These enable them to experience scientific data through visual, aural and verbal storytelling.

‘Our world’s connection with stars….’

Liz Waugh’s diverse range of subjects include communication, geological events, migration and our world’s connection with stars. Through artwork and socially engaged projects, Liz shares connections in the natural environment and the ecological impacts of our actions.

‘I now focus on urgent themes of the climate crisis, anthropogenic environmental impacts, global warming and biodiversity……I aim to encourage sustainable use and processing of natural resources.’

Researching sand for the glass industry

During the 2024 GroundWork ‘Ground Up’ residency, Liz researched the extraction of sand for glass industries. She examined the extent of energy use, extraction of raw materials. She also explored a number of ideas about recycling in historical glassmaking.

Liz Waugh completed a practice-based PhD in 2024 in the Glass Department of the University of Sunderland. There she developed an ‘Internet of Glass Things’, blending the qualities of glass with the capabilities of electronics for creating interactions and incorporating sound or video.

International exhibitions & awards

Her artwork has been nationally and internationally recognised, e.g. at Sound Scene Festival, Hirshhorn Museum (Washington DC), Michigan State University Museum, Glass Art Society (Berlin), British Glass Biennales (Stourbridge) and the International Glass Prize (Coburg) exhibitions. She received the Mike Davies Innovation Award in 2021, was longlisted for the Lumen Art and Technology Prize in 2022 and was ‘commended’ in the Glass Sellers/CGS Graduate Prize, 2024.