Obsessed with the tactility and metamorphosis of material, Cahalan pays homage to the duality of her heritage. She views making as an act of give and take; a collaboration of history, material and space. Her work is personal and cultural history made tangible, a map of the space between worlds, old and new, forgotten and familiar. Clay is not merely earth, but a tangible story being written and re-written, a story of memory, of language, of belonging.

Cahalan attended the National Art School and holds both a Diploma and Advanced Diploma of Ceramics from Northern Beaches Tafe. She works as both a ceramics teacher and as a studio potter. Her practice also encompasses drawing, textiles, painting and jewellery making. ​Her work has been exhibited in group shows, galleries and also exists in private collections. Cahalan is represented by Red Hill Gallery Brisbane.

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