Hazel Atkinson creates light-weight anodised aluminium jewellery, each with a stunning pattern. Each piece of Hazel's colourful jewellery is individually painted making everyone a unique creation.
After graduating from Loughborough College of Art and Design, Hazel established her business in 1985 and built an enviable reputation for bold, strong, colourful design. Phil was a Theatre,TV and film actor for many years, but for the past 20 years, they have worked as partners in the jewellery business. Today Hazel’s work can be seen in over 200 galleries and independent retailers throughout the U.K. She designs and makes bespoke jewellery, and has made pieces for theatre, T.V. and Film. She also teaches metalwork and jewellery at Nottingham Trent University.
Read on to find out more!
In 1983 I graduated from Loughborough Art College with a degree in textile design/embroidery. I started my jewellery business in 1985, I had no idea what I was doing, but was passionate about making and designing jewellery from all sorts of materials, and it just kept going.
I moved to Nottingham in 1984 for a couple of months, and I am still here 35 years later. I live with Phil, who is also my partner in the business.
I am inspired by many things, but colour is especially high up on my list - nature and all its glory, sea, the sky, flowers, birds etc are an endless source of inspiration. I still use a sketchbook, and spend time scribbling with pens, pencils, watercolours and inks when I get the time. I love it.
When I am not making jewellery, I spend a lot of time making music with Phil and my band ‘Magic Car’. We are signed to a small independent record company ‘Tiny Dog Records’. I am a singer, but I also play a variety of instruments including mandolin, ukulele, and stick dulcimer. Our music usually comes under the category of ‘Americana’.
I love working with colour, but am also inspired by textures. The ‘Fire and Ice’ range using the embossed shape of dried leaf skeletons is another of my favourites - with the use of silver, copper and gold leaves, it has a subtle but light hearted look.
I think the most challenging area of my work is the actual dying of the metal. The designing, drawing and painting of the aluminium I find easy, but the dying process can be very variable. One week the metal will dye a strong red…the next week, a dull pink with the same batch of metal and dye...very frustrating and not very good for continuity.
My advice to other makers is just keep doing it. If you are passionate about anything, it’s worth it. Also do trade shows, and let people know you are there - there is no point being fabulous and creating brilliant things in your workshop if no one sees them..
Seriously Good Fun.
The next design ideas will probably be based on landscape, we have just been walking along the South Downs in Surrey, and the views were fabulous and inspiring and the mix of green, yellow, blues and purples and reds was scrumptious.