hazel thorn
hazel thorn
Hazel’s love of experimenting with colour, pattern and form, inspired by the natural world is delightfully clear. Growing up in a remote area of the Scottish Highlands, she spent many hours in the woods, fields and hills surrounding her home. Hazel developed a passion for making, especially weaving with reeds and grasses. Nowadays, these natural materials are not used directly in her work, but often inspired her to recreate an abstracted version in metal.
Creating a technique of fusing wires side-by-side, some of silver and some of base metal, Hazel then forms the resulting sheets into an object. The whole object is then exposed to one chemical process, which affects each material differently. Silver areas stay white, the base metal turns black, and the alloy produced where the two have bonded becomes a beautiful blue-green colour.
Hazel studied at Edinburgh College of Art, during her BA she had the fantastic experience of attending Alistair McCallum’s workshop on Mokume Gane at West Dean College. This proved pivotal in Hazel’s practice: taking what she learnt there and through exploration with mixed-metal, developing her own special fusing technique which unlike traditional Mokume Gane can be hallmarked.
Collections: National Museum of Scotland (current commission), Goldsmiths’ Company, University of the Highlands, The Incorporation of Goldsmiths
Major Exhibitions:
2017 - ‘Cosmima’, The Clerkenwell Gallery, London, Inspired: Goldsmiths’ Centre, London, Solo showcase, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh
2016 - V&A London: Silver Speaks, Holburne Museum: Silver Light & Shade, Elements Festival, Goldsmiths’ Fair, Goldsmiths’ Hall London, QEST scholars exhibition Windsor Taste Contemporary Craft, Geneva, National Gallery, Edinburgh: Converge, Goldsmiths’ Centre London
2015 - National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh: The Silversmiths’ Art
2015 - The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh: Modern Masters, Collect London, Schoohoven Silver Awards Netherlands, Talente, Munich, Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Awards, Goldsmiths’ Hall, London
2014 - Craft Scotland conference, Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh
2013 - SOFA Chicago, with Edinburgh College of Art
2012 - V&A, London: Fit for Purpose
Major awards:
2017 / 2018 - Studio Internship Graduate Award, from The Goldsmiths’ Centre
2017: Edinburgh Craft Makers Award
2015 - Goldsmiths’ Company Craft & Design Awards
2011 - Queen Elizabeth Scholarship (QEST)
2011 - ‘Design in Silver’ Graduate Award from the Contemporary British Silversmiths, Outstanding Scottish Student of the Year Award from The Incorporation of Goldsmiths Edinburgh
Image credit: James Baster
commissions
If you are drawn to Hazel’s beautiful and colourful interpretation of the natural world, please contact us to discuss how she can design a unique piece for your home or organisation.
Image credit: ©www.ClaudineQuinn.com ©2011 Claudine Quinn, all rights reserved.
“Metal is an incredibly exciting material to work with - the variety of textures and forms it can be persuaded into are almost limitless. It can be a playfully deceptive substance, mimicking other materials or creating an impression of movement or growth.”
— Hazel Thorn
Meet the maker.
Listen to Hazel discuss her Innes Carr nomination from her studio in Edinburgh
