Carol Hazel's "Our Swan After Dark" from City of South Perth from Kerotv on Vimeo.

 An article written by multi award winning artist David Giles: Carol Hazel is committed to the practice of painting. From realistic landscapes to contemporary abstract her works take us on journeys to explore what paint can do. A preoccupation with water echoes the longing to live and be, besides the water. With Hazel’s work we are taken there, and then some more, as we are pulled into the pictures which evoke feelings, memories and longings deeper and beyond the mere appearance of things.

As we engage with Hazel’s paintings we become embroiled in a deeper level of reality as we are led into an engagement with the mark making and painterliness that Hazel puts into her works, sometimes subtle and nuanced sometimes fresh and direct. Hazel has consummate skill as a painter and brings this skill to play in creating works that sparkle and shimmer with the energy of the artist at work.  

The results are stunning compositions of complex yet subtle colour palettes that evoke a sense of place and show an intense maturity of intuitive purpose. The exploration of the process of painting has engaged Hazel for some time yet her work remains fresh and exciting in its journey of discovery. Each painting takes us to new places, new processes, new engagements as we journey with the artist into constant breakthroughs into new ground, as the artist reinvents her practice. This is the archetypal journey of the artist. As the great artists Wolf Kahn has stated. The purpose of every painting, for the true artist, is to paint in a freer way in order to find a way to the next painting. 

Carol Hazel makes remarkable works. She will be an artist to watch over the coming years as she delves deeper into a profound and unrelenting commitment to the life of the artist.  Hazel’s paintings allow us to look with fresh eyes at images that go beyond the imagery of objects we see around us and into the specific image of the painting as a worked surface of paint, as painting. As well as taking us into this engagement with painting as pure forms of colour, shape, texture and marks, Hazel’s work also evokes a sense of place and a range of subtle moods, dispositions, auras and feeling that flow from the work.

From the glimmer and brilliance of Morning Light, to the serene beauty of Pristine Waters, to the refreshing and delicious sense of being there, evoked by Reflections or Waters Edge, Hazel show us a treasure trove of artistic expression to enjoy and soak up. Her works are luscious, delectable and enchanting journeys into an imagined world, more real than that we see perched in front of us. In this sense Hazel takes us into a deeper, spiritual reality. Like many of the artists from the Freedom School, Hazel’s paintings become meditations on the mystical, on the oceanic, on the timelessness and eternity of the act of pure creation untainted by reality as we know it. In this sense we are taken by Hazel’s paintings into a sort of freedom, a vision of the potential to look at things differently.

The vision can shock us into a sense of how what we think is real is really just a small part of creation and that there is an eternity of yet to be created creation. This is the fundamental task of the artist – to show us the infinite possibilities once we tap into the creative force. In doing this, Hazel prompt us to open our eyes a little wider and perhaps open our minds and our hearts too, to the unseen potential of the world around us, to a reclaiming of that sense of child-like wonder.

In doing so, she gives us the freedom to look anew, to find whatever hope, clarity, faith, dreams or aspirations we might seek, simply by opening our eyes, and imagining undreamt of possibilities. For the gift that Hazel gives us in doing this, we should be deeply grateful.

 SPONSORED BY CHROMA PAINTS

As a visual artist who’s style of painting is predominantly realistic the opportunity of painting these expressionistic, semi-abstract paintings is ‘Liberating’. These paintings are based on ‘Nature’, ‘Elements of Life’ & ‘Home Surroundings’. Painting with minimal colours & the use of texture brings these paintings to life.

Carol Hazel was born in Fremantle Western Australia, she has always had a fascination for drawing. As a teenager she would spend hours sketching portraits of famous people from magazines.

A qualified Dental assistant she changed directions to Accounts Management. Carol and her husband have partnered in a Cabinetmaking Business for the past 27 years.

Over the years Carol has participated in many TAFE courses including painting, pottery, lead lighting, glass slumping and fusing, just to mention a few. In 2000 Carol met artist Michael J Summers, which triggered her passion for painting, she commenced oil painting classes with inspiring artists Christine and Marion from About Art, Rockingham. In 2008 Carol ventured into Abstract Art and joined classes with award winning Artist David Giles, she is currently attending his 2012 Freedom School of Art.

Carol has exhibited her artwork in many group exhibitions, a selection of latest exhibitions are  2011: Seasons Exhibition,  Moores Contemporary Art Gallery, Fremantle; Freedom School Exhibition, Moores Contemporary Art Gallery, Fremantle;  Flow Exhibition, Victoria Park Centre for the Arts; Art Framers WA, Claremont;  Affordable Art Expo, Melbourne; WA Visual Arts Expo, Perth ; 2010: UWA Club Gallery, Nedlands, 2010 Moores Contemporary Art Gallery, Fremantle, 2010.

Her first Solo Exhibition by Carol was held at the grand opening of Regal Studio Gallery, Bibra Lake, designed and built by herself and her husband, Kevin Hazel in 2009, followed in 2010 at Bethdesda Hospital Cafe Gallery, Nedlands & Summer Breeze Solo Exhibition  Dec 2011 at David Giles Art Gallery, Fremantle.

Carol is Artist in residence at the David Giles Gallery Fremantle & previous residencies at the Perth Parmelia Hilton Hotel Arcade in 2010 & Carrillion Arcade Perth in 2011

Carol is SPONSORED by CHROMA PAINTS who has provided her with Atelier Interactive Artist quality paints. She is represented by David Giles Art Galleries in  Fremantle where people can view her art and is also represented by Fleur Allen, Interactive Arts, which is an online art Gallery.  She was commissioned for artwork sent to Italy among other commissions around Western Australia.

Carol Hazel - "No Idea" from Kerotv on Vimeo.

With a passion for natural beauty Carol gets her inspiration from nature, adventure and travel. The world to her is an open canvas. For many years Oils was her preferred Medium, painting interpretational projects like portraits or land/sea scapes.  In the past 3 years Carol has been exploring Abstract art painting with Acrylic, she found this experience liberating. The ability to create something from nothing is extraordinary.

Current Exhibition

The 5 Senses

at Claremont Artframers & Gallery runs until 19 March 2011

'Midnight' is dedicated to my brother Ian who recently lost his battle with Cancer. It was a deeply emotional time, I
remember peering into the late night skies during last few weeks of his life sending him strength and love.
This was the beginning of 'Midnight'.

When Ian passed away I wasn't entirely happy with the painting, I had experienced sheer ease and relief of Ian's ended suffering. I picked up my paint brush and started adding light and depth and the painting evolved.

Although Midnight appears dark in colour, the richness of deep blue, glimmer of silver and light shining through the darkness 'Midnight' is a painting that gives me a sense of inner peace, freedom & happiness

<a href="https://twitter.com/carolhazeliinet" class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false">Follow @carolhazeliinet</a>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript"></script>