Statement
I love art that abstractly connects, stimulating the mind, calming the soul. Art is sensual, worldly and powerful, extending beyond the natural world, often referenced in my abstract paintings, to a spiritual realm. Originally working in watercolor, employing similar approaches, I create paintings on stiffened silk, a unique technique I developed while completing an MFA in painting at the San Francisco Art Institute.
The process of creating art is inventive and creative. I set parameters of size and media, a thematic focus, and begin to paint, allowing the paint itself to point to a resolution of the work, engaging in a mental dialog with the materials until the final image is created.
I have had a lifelong love for the arts, starting at age 7 when I was the self-appointed family photographer with my beloved Brownie Starflash Kodak camera. After 30 years as a professional educator, I completed BA degrees in Art History and Art Studio at the California State University, Sacramento, then an MFA in Painting at the San Francisco Art Institute. I enjoy working exploratively in my Sacramento studio, where I create peaceful art that engages the mind. My subject matter, whether abstract or representational, is influenced by the natural world.
Copyright 2026, Shirley Hazlett, all rights reserved