About me

I now live in Shropshire - the lively little town of Broseley. We moved here in late 1999.

I'd lived thirty years in a small village in North Wales: Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd, near Ruthin.

I studied sculpture at St. Albans School of Art, where one of our life models said, "do things with style" (it was that extraordinary man, Quentin Crisp). I then went on to acquire my degree-level teaching qualification at Swansea School of Art & University.

I was head of an art department at a school in Barnet in my early twenties, but chose to become a full time artist.

For a couple of years I was at Digswell House, which was a centre for arts development in Welwyn Garden City, set up by Henry Morris. I became the new resident of Hans Coper's ceramic studio when he moved on. I was so fortunate to have been there with such as my late friends Peter Collingwood (weaver), Mick and Sheila Casson (ceramicists), and John Brunsdon (etcher).

From my early 30’s I was a successful ceramicist in North Wales. I created many large murals to commission in England and Wales, and there's even one in Nazareth. Examples can be seen in Ruthin, Rhyl, Bangor, Ness Gardens, Barmouth Dragon Theatre, Liverpool, Wigan Court House (unveiled by Lady Diana, Princess of Wales), Kingston-upon-Thames.

I also made small, detailed figures and houses, often reflecting a mediaeval character. Several people built up substantial collections, and one was presented by admirers to Margaret Thatcher when she was Prime Minister.

Ceramic murals require a lot of drawing. I have been told that I draw "like a dream", so when I moved to Shropshire in 1999 I sold my kiln and concentrated instead on drawing in pen and ink, producing a successful book, "Maggie Humphry's Shropshire". I've also illustrated several books.

At the same time I was experimenting across several media, including a return to etching. But after a few years I began to paint in oils in earnest: very successfully. I tend to work in themes such as landscapes, myths, boats, and more, and I am always investigating different styles.