Jennifer Hazel
“HIDDEN TREASURES”
A rare and unique exhibition of Outsider Art by Jennifer Hazel
Morvah Schoolhouse Gallery, near Penzance
From Thursday February 18th until Sunday February 28th
Private view on Sunday February 21st from 1-3pm
Gallery and café opening times are Thursday – Sunday from 11.30am – 4pm
Tel Morvah Schoolhouse gallery on 01736 787808. www.morvah.com
PLEASE NOTE JENNIFER'S WEBSITE WILL NOT BE LIVE UNTIL 25TH JAN
Information about the artist.
Jennifer Hazel(nee Hayes) was born in Wolverhampton in 1939. The youngest of nine children, times were hard but despite this she enjoyed painting as a child, though her obvious talent was not encouraged at the time.
It was in her early twenties that Jennifer first discovered Cornwall. Initially she came to St Ives one summer to work in a local hotel where she later went on to meet and marry Claude Hazel. They settled in Cornwall and had three children together, Vicki, Kate and Simon.
Widowed at the age of forty there was little time for creative pursuits.
In the late 1980’s her youngest daughter Kate, then living in Bristol, on a visit to her mother’s, left a box of basic artists paints, brushes and sketch pads at Jennifer’s house in Penzance. They lay unused for about 6 months then one day Jennifer began to draw. At first tentatively and then prolifically for the next
fifteen years.
With no formal background or training in the arts and with little money and no car she painted mostly local scenes – the harbours at Newlyn and Mousehole, Abbey Slip in Penzance and St Michael’s Mount. Often painting on anything she could find - wallpaper samples, wood, often using glitter and gold and silver paints to emphasise the mood of a painting.
Through her work she found a new way to express herself and the energy and colours in her paintings are clear to see.
One of her closest mentors during this time was the renowned artist Rose Hilton. Rose gave Jennifer enormous encouragement and confidence in her abilities as a painter. They shared a strong friendship and Jennifer sat for Rose on a number of occasions.
Having a kind and generous heart, Jennifer often donated paintings and her wonderful hand made Christmas cards for the benefit of local charities, in particular MIND and The Breadline Centre in Penzance. In keeping with this tradition some of the proceeds from the sale of works at this exhibition will be donated to Trelya, the award winning Penzance based charity which builds brighter futures for young people living in West Cornwall. For more information on Trelya and their work go to www.trelya.com.
Jennifer died suddenly at her home in Penzance in 2003, surrounded by her work. She was 64 years old. This first solo exhibition of her paintings spans a small selection of works from 1989 – 2003, most of which have never been shown publicly before. The exhibition has been organised by her daughter Kate, in recognition and memory of her mother’s artistic talents.
We hope you enjoy the “Hidden Treasures” she left behind.
