Maggie Hands

I was born in Krakow, Poland and came to the UK as a child of 7. My adoptive mother was a political activist when Poland was part of the communist block. Due to a tip off she escaped from the country taking my grandmother and me with her, on false passports to evade arrest! I grew up in Birmingham, UK now live in a Bedfordshire village.

From an early age nature, texture, pattern and colour fascinated me and led me to start recording what I saw with my camera. I love the creativity of digital photography and how it allows me to manipulate images and combine them with mixed media techniques.

My passion for textile art comes from my grandmother who was an accomplished painter and textile artist. I was using needle and thread to create art from a young age.

I choose to use mixed media to create art including paint, photographic images, found objects, textiles and threads to combine my two loves, textile art and photography. Photography is a two-dimensional form whilst combining it with other media allows me create depth and texture, thus creating something more three dimensional. I also find using different media an exciting way to express my artistic vision. My work varies and can be abstract or more figurative depending on...

I would describe myself as mainly self-taught. Though later in life I have studied a small number of art courses part time.

City & Guilds in Photography, Sutton Coldfield College
Textile Art City & Guilds, Lichfield College, Staffordshire
Art & Design Foundation, Sutton Coldfield Art College

I completed all these over a period of years from 2008 to 2011 whilst working part time.

Due to ill health and COVID I've taken a break from exhibiting until 2022 when I'm taking part in 2 exhibitions so far.

2018 'No Shrinking Violets' - Midlands Textile Arts Forum
Nicholson Institute, Leek, UK and NEC, Birmingham, UK

2017 'The Lie of the Land' - Midlands Textile Arts Forum
Bishop’s Castle Town Hall, Bishops Castle, UK

2017 'Earth’s Riches' - Midlands Textile Arts Forum
Lally Gallery, Erewash Museum, Ickleton,UK

2016 'Earth’s Riches' - Midlands Textile Arts Forum
Fusion Gallery, Jackfield Tile Museum, Ironbridge,UK

2015 'Remnants & Traces' - Midlands Textile Arts Forum
The Light House, Wolverhampton , UK and Newman Brothers Coffin Works, Birmingham, UK.

2011 'Skin' Solo Exhibition
Artful, Hockey, Birmingham, UK

2009 'Students Final Exhibition'
Sutton Coldfield Art College,Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, UK