Our Founder

Meet the Founder of Maggy Howarth Studios

“Design is everything. I like to play. I like to exaggerate rather than aim for the naturalistic. That’s how I find the essence of something”

— Maggy Howarth

“Design is everything. I like to play. I like to exaggerate rather than aim for the naturalistic. That’s how I find the essence of something”

— Maggy Howarth

Maggy Howarth’s Artistic Beginnings

Following a degree in fine art, Maggy Howarth began her career as an artist in the theatre, touring the world with the Welfare State international theatre company where she helped create spectacular outdoor productions throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Towards the end of this period, a theatre production at a Buddhist centre in the Lake District (United Kingdom) sparked an interest in mosaic and land art that would consume the rest of her life.

During the early years, Maggy had to totally rethink mosaic fabrication in order to accommodate the cold winters of the Northern European climate. Rather than placing pebbles in situ, she pioneered the pre-cast technique which allowed small sections of mosaic to be created in her workshop, stored and then pieced together on site at installation. Together with current master craftsman, Mark Currie, Maggy began perfecting the fabrication craft leading to ever more intricate and ambitious projects.

Her work attracted recognition from artistic peers from around the world and awards followed. An incredible body of work now sees Maggy Howarth mosaics in private gardens and public realm spanning Royal gardens to Land Art parks in Taiwan. Maggy’s love of the natural world fuelled many of the designs in the proceeding years inspired in no small part by Hilltop - her beautiful family home in the remote Lancashire countryside.

Far and wide…

Generosity sat at the heart of Maggy’s career. She shared her knowledge and techniques with fellow artists and part time enthusiasts alike in books and videos in the hope of growing the art form.

Those who benefited the most are of course the team that continue her legacy today at Maggy Howarth Studios. Led by Mark Currie and her son George, everyone at the studio is inspired to maintain Maggy’s incredible artistic standards and continue to push the boundaries of the art form.

To read Maggy’s obituary in The Guardian, click here.