Introducing Hazel Tully
Screenshot from the home page of hazeltully.com
If you’ve read much about “my” work, you know that the land I live on is my inspiration. It’s a magical place and I’m so fortunate to know it as I do.
But I was already an adult, in my early 30’s, when I met the Prairie.
Much different for our daughter, Hazel. She was not much over one year old when we moved here in the early spring of 1991. It’s no wonder her first (non-familial, of course) words were “bird” and “tree.” She was truly a child of nature, running barefoot, scurrying up tree branches; nurtured by the prairie.
Hazel, like many children, expressed herself from an early age through art. Her drawings grew with her, taking on an imaginative and delicate nature, eventually creating entire worlds with her creatures (think “Avatar”).
Despite my ongoing efforts, the only interest in fiber she showed was when she learned to finger knit. She would turn huge balls of finger-knit roping into soft and fuzzy creatures not unlike those drawings.
One has survived. But “barely” - pun intended! From playground dirt baths to years of patches she’s held up surprisingly well…seems she’s been loved to death
“Bluebell” elementary school days
Hazel was also fortunate to have had an encouraging art teacher, Ralph Fontenot, in her formative years…not to mention two supportive art-schooled parents!
Then later, in college, her area of focus became Metals. Sculpture. Vessels.
Another early metal work, “Creep” 2010
So fast forward to the Covid years, when she was living in Los Angeles, working for a commercial jeweler, far away from her beloved land back “home.”
We were on a call during lockdown when she was trying to decide how to keep making vessel forms without a kiln or a torch when the light bulbs went off.
“Kit” 2021
You can read the rest of her story, and see more of her work (click on each image), on her website and instagram.
I’ll just say she turned those lemons into the sweetest lemonade.
“Whirlpool” 2024