Influenced by research expeditions to unique landscapes, museum collections and the writings of explorers, McKinlay’s work is an attempt to reveal another world within her work. Her sculptures represent individual characters or elements that are found in nature. Specific subjects are collected together to create a balanced fictional environment within the work. The piece for Broomhill includes a fractured rock, a moss and a fossilised creature that have been discovered in the grounds and put on display. McKinlay works across sculpture, drawing and print-making and frequently prints are taken using the sculptures as printing blocks, creating a version of the work that lives as a collection of prints.