After travelling to India to do an artist residency at Farm Studio in rural Rajasthan, MacPhee was captivated by the traditional miniature painting she saw there, with their vibrant colours, diminutive scale and the extraordinary scenes of life, lavishly depicted.

Adopting this miniature format but using clay, MacPhee's "Birthing Ball" is part of a series of works that are intimate painted windows into her recent experience of being pregnant and preparing for motherhood. She captures and sensitively preserves these precious yet everyday moments in the lead up to a life-changing event. The glazed miniatures are palm-sized and placed in coloured clay frames, becoming tangible artworks, that move between painting and sculpture.