Episode 38: Self Care is Gardening!

Having the nick name ‘Smiler’ it’s no surprise that Maggie Hollinshead describes herself as a “glass overflowing” kind of person, which she attributes to a very happy and positive upbringing.    As an Artist, Maggie has enjoyed all kinds of creativity since childhood, but it wasn’t until her thirties that she followed any formal training in the arts, until then she had been a Secretary/PA with a side hustle of creative work.  After studying Textiles with the Open University - College of the Arts and a Creative Embroidery Qualification via City and Guilds, Maggie had her work in various exhibitions and rented a studio in Staffordshire, later owning a small Independent Gallery in Shropshire with her husband, where Maggie showcased work  from Contemporary British Designer Makers and Artists.  Now working from her two studios in Staffordshire,  Maggie creates commissions, sells her own work, classes and workshops via her website, writes a regular online subscription magazine and has two books underway.  For the past ten years, Maggie has also taken her work into an NHS mental health setting one day a week, where she works directly with patients on the ward, this work is facilitated by Arts for Health, part of Midland Partnership Trust NHS.  Maggie is also a very keen gardener and has an award winning allotment with her husband, Tony.   Tony grows all the veg and fruit, whilst Maggie tends a cutting garden to provide flowers for home and as gifts for family and friends.  Gardening and the natural world inspires much of Maggie’s work, so it’s no surprise that during lockdown Maggie successfully combined her love of gardening and creativity to develop garden designs from an Artist’s eye, with five completed designs to date.      Maggie Hollinshead – Maggie’s Studio [email protected] www.maggiesstudiouk.co.uk IG – Maggie’s Studio (MHSmiler) FB – Maggie’s Studio LinkedIn – Maggie Hollinshead (Maggie’s Studio) This episode is sponsored by Julie Williams of the Coaching Den. FB- "the cooking counselor" https://www.thecoachingden.org