Maker: Nicol Cheung

Panel number: 479

Petition sheet number: Did not sign 1893 petition

Person honouring: Glen McDonald

Relationship to maker: Not given

Glen McDonald was born in Wellington, a third-generation Kiwi. When she was 17 she moved to England with her mother, the illustrator Jill McDonald, and brother for work.

Glen came back to live on the Kapiti coast with her own four children in 1979. Once they were independent, she studied disability caring and moved back to Wellington.

During this time, as a casual artist she was introduced to Vincents Art Studios and fell in love with it. She joined the Vincents committee and became the part-time administrator. In 1995 she become the acting coordinator and in 2000 she took on the role full time.

As Vincents coordinator Glen wanted to help other groups set up similar programmes to connect different groups of people from the local area in a nurturing, creative environment. Pablos Art Studio in Wellington and King Street Art Workshop in Masterton both received support and advice from Glen to set up their practices.

Vincents also developed a project with Arohata Prison to teach art therapy. Work produced there has been exhibited at Vincents Gallery.

For 11 years, Glen has also run an art therapy course helping people with mental health issues.

In 2018, Glen received the Queens Service Medal for her 16 years of work as the coordinator of Vincents Art Workshop. In accepting, she hoped to encourage more people to create places like Vincents, which would inspire, nurture, help, and support people without any self-benefit – spaces for all members of the community to participate. 

Panel materials:  Recylced materials from Dixon Street Re-Sew sewing club.