Trails: Hazel Stark
AUTHOR: Desktop
Once a graphic design student, then an artist, then a printmaker turned textile designer and now an expert dabbler in ceramics, Hazel Stark has a capable hand for any of the hundreds of craft related pursuits. Through all her work, however, there is a decipherable aesthetic, a graphic coherence in her approach that hops disciplinary boundaries. As we introduce Stark’s work, Stark in turn introduces four creative studios that she feels produce work that swaps skills and blurs any traditional lines between craft and design.
“I studied graphic design way back in 2002 for just three terms before I moved over to fine art. Graphics was a bit too linear for me, although considering the short amount of time I spent studying it, I am always surprised at just how much I think back to the course and find myself leaning towards clear and clean design.”
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
Stark: Ladies and Gentlemen’s work is wonderfully balanced. The strong and durable materials are a perfect counterweight to the tactile, fragile ones. The shapes are predominantly symmetrical, which I can’t help but find graphically satisfying, and when a dash of asymmetry is added, it’s done in a controlled way – the angles are meticulously considered. The use of materials has clarity and density, with the reflective surfaces adding depth.
HANNAH WALDRON
Stark: Hannah Waldron has moved seamlessly from illustration to textiles in recent years, but I love that she’s still uncompromising in her style and visual language, whether it’s screenprint to paper, or printed textile or weave. She uses puzzling narratives and landscapes, quite Escherian, with a dollop of 80s Hockney and a bit of Bauhaus. It’s all very ambitious and I love it.
WILL EDMONDS
Stark: I was a fan of Will Edmonds’ work long before bumping into him at a local pottery class. His sense of humour just cracks me up and that warmth is in everything he makes, whether it’s his drawings, sculptures, websites, videos, music or ceramics. He jumps disciplines quite dramatically, but it
is all a pleasure to see, feel, watch or hear. Usually, simple shapes drawn with scratchy loose mark making is hard to pull off, but he does it with aplomb!
BUILDING BLOCK
Stark: I’m drawn to the simple shapes and restricted palettes that Building Block utilises in its objects. It’s a refreshing take on familiar shapes, but pared down and transformed into something truly contemporary – the result of the studio’s restraint. The minimal palette and disciplined use of leather and wood only adds to the impact and keeps the pieces approachably tactile. I’ve always enjoyed the playful styling, too.
