An Interview with an American Journalist

Below is the words of Joan McKenzie, whom I thank  tremendously for her beautiful words …… 

Hazel Rayfield’s Uniquely Beautiful Wax Paintings in Miniature
Feature Interview by Joan McKenzie   Instagram: genuinejoan

I’m always happy when I find an artisan that is creating something so unique that I want to touch it and understand more about that art form. While discovering the tiny detailed encaustic hot wax paintings made by Hazel Rayfield, I found myself getting lost in her scenes, especially the paintings of trees. Hazel is a self-employed artist who calls her Etsy shop “Art in Wax”.

She has been painting in encaustic miniature form since 2011. One year her husband Adrian, who is an interior decorator, had a very special commission which opened Hazel’s eyes to the growing popularity in the world of miniaturists. Adrian’s client wanted help building a basement for her Georgian Dollhouse. The client also asked Hazel to create some paintings for this house as she wanted it filled with original artwork. “

As far as I am aware, pieces of my “Art in Wax” are currently in 20 countries spanning 4 continents.”

I collect Hazel’s Miniature Art

I am one of Hazel’s repeat customers from a few years ago. I have more than one version of the “Tree of Life” and multiple breathtaking “African Skies” paintings in my little boys’ double bunk bedroom themed with African animals, paintings, books and dinosaur fossils.

Hazel’s husband built her a miniature property in 2013 which she named: “The Gallery”. This is a double front Victorian shop, which he bought as a kit. Inside is a contemporary art gallery, with inset ceiling lights and wood flooring that he assembled perfectly, piece by piece. “The Gallery” has evolved several times since 2013. Adrian built bespoke frames, an art browser and some of the easels on display. It hosts many of her miniature paintings that have been on exhibit previously. Some of these paintings are not for sale for sentimental reasons. However, if you asked Hazel to try to replicate something she has done before she will happily try.

She is very busy with orders for her artwork, but she also works occasionally in website development, graphic design and internet consulting as this was her full-time business prior to following her passion to paint. Hazel has had a few instances where she made something for a customer that she really didn’t want to part with. It’s at that point where she has to remind herself that someone likes her work enough to pay hard earned money for it, and that feeling of appreciation is still something that pleases her all of the time. Now that it has been 8 years of full- time painting, this elated feeling is not something that she can imagine will diminish over time.

An English Artist

She has a studio area in their home in Southend on Sea, Essex. In the past she had exhibited her work at a few local dollhouse fairs in the United Kingdom, but not for several years now. Attending the fairs was great fun for Hazel, meeting miniaturists, artisans and collectors was fun and fulfilling. She is still in touch with several of the people she knew then and they continue to purchase her art online. It was a fellow miniaturist who suggested she might create ‘dressing room screens’ (AKA room dividers) using the hot wax art form. These have become popular over the years, especially because it doubles as a piece of original art as well as a piece of exquisite furniture.

Occasionally Hazel has created videos of herself painting which appear on her blog or on social media. She loves the challenge of making art in miniature.

When she began creating original miniature art in the medium that is known as Encaustic, she never dreamed this would become such a passion for her. The richness of the colors she combines take you immediately to what she is trying to convey. Over the years the subjects she has painted have been varied. She loves the challenge of a new idea, a new inspiration and seeing just what she can paint in hot wax. Some of her own favorites are the winter landscapes, many of which include the northern lights and the occasional stag painting, the colorful skies of an African sunset, all landscape pieces, her brilliant poppy flower paintings are always a joy to paint, and trees, oh those gorgeous trees … including a collection of her take on the “Tree of Life”. Recently her ballerina pieces have been very well received. Seasonally the holiday themes for Christmas are popular, and of course Halloween pumpkins and witches are usually popular in Autumn.

Hazel is completely self-taught. She has an array of tools she uses for painting, including specialist encaustic heat tools, some of which her husband has adapted so that she may paint tiny details. She loves what she does for a living with her artistry. She’s very happy to know that her work resides in so many little homes around the world. She still gets excited with every creation she completes. The huge amount of sales in her Etsy shop speaks volumes about her loyal customers love of her miniature paintings. Very few people are selling at the volume that Hazel can claim, and this speaks to her originality and exquisite art form that she has mastered, as well as to the customer loyalty base that she has built.

Following her dream

Hazel has been successfully practicing her business dream for seven years now. Once she discovered this art form was exactly what she desperately wanted to have more time to explore, she followed her heart and her passion.

I remember a few years back when I was working in corporate America. There was not one person in our business who was happy with the work they were doing. We liked the salary, but the work could often be mind-numbing. Since joining IGMA and meeting so many wonderful people in this miniature world of ours, I have met so many who tell me how they LOVE their work. The ability to create something that other people admire must feel wonderful. Hazel is one woman who pursued her dream and she definitely knows how wonderful it is to have found what you were meant to do.