A personal exhibition celebrating individual stories

The Champagne Room Sessions is a unique portrait series by Mick Hand, featuring 15 individuals who are residents of Plymouth, each captured in a personal and expressive way. Every sitter appears with something meaningful to them — whether a treasured heirloom, a symbolic item, or an outfit that reflects their identity, passions or story.

Each portrait is accompanied by a narrative shared by the sitter, offering viewers a rare and revealing insight into their lives. The result is a deeply personal and striking collection of contemporary portraiture, celebrating individuality, self-expression and human connection.

All sittings for the series took place in The Champagne Room — a distinctive space within a residence at Royal William Yard, once home to the naval police station.

To the sitters, supporters and those who made The Champagne Room Sessions possible — thank you for your generosity, trust and enthusiasm throughout this project.

I’m Mick Hand — a portrait artist originally from Yorkshire and now happily based by the sea in Plymouth. My journey with art began as a boy obsessed with drawing, which led me to study Fine Art at Loughborough College of Art & Design. Over the years, my creative path has included work in arts education, public service and corporate residencies, each of which has shaped the way I view people and tell stories through portraiture.