Meet Hazel Heywood

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Hazel Heywood a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hazel, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

I use my uniqueness as a beacon, not a deterrent! Being an artist in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire means that there are a LOT of craft fairs and events designed for the summer and fall tourism seasons. Many of the artists at these events tailor their art and their products for the “stereotypical lake tourist”, and many of the colors, images, and themes are the same: a friend and I have a long-standing joke about Adirondack chairs and loons.

But Grindark Studio’s motto has always been “where the creepy and colorful coincide”. I like bright colors and strange things, the whimsical and the weird: and I’m not about to tailor my artistic output just to make a buck. Art is meant to be unapologetically honest, a way for the artist to both express themselves and hold a mirror up for others to see themselves in if they wish to look. I look for events that embrace diversity within the community, and show up knowing that people who will love my art will find it… and they will tell others who will. I also measure success by connectivity with fellow artists and creative people just as much as I do the bottom line.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’ve been cartooning since I was 12, and started writing stories to accompany my characters in junior high. I’ve written four novels to date, and am working on redesigning the covers and creating a new release for them under my pen name (instead of my deadname), I work with far too many crafts to be quite right in the head, but have no intention of stopping learning or creating. I also don’t believe in gatekeeping knowledge of any kind, and am always happy to share my process or anything I’ve learned with other people.

Grindark Studio’s mission is to celebrate the weird and the whimsical, encouraging everyone to embrace those qualities in their lives and to remember that the world is better with more color and crazy. The art is also infused with empathy and a call to action, particularly in support of queer and transgender communities.

My next event is the inaugural Concord Color & Sound Festival on October 15th, 2024. More details can be found at https://concordsoundandcolor.com!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Integrity: I got lost in the weeds for a while thinking that I had to create what people around me seemed to want or need, and then I remembered that art is ART FIRST, BUSINESS SECOND. I’ve had far too many experiences where I burned myself out on writing or art because I was creating to fit other people’s vision of me instead of using my creations to show them who I really was. Doing this once in a while is not necessarily a bad thing, but my best advice would be to ask yourself, first: am I doing this because it aligns with both of us, or just for the person who wants to pay me for it?

Whimsy: Otherwise known as that Inner Child spark that says “why the hell not? it’s FUN”. I kicked off this year by reading/following Julia Cameron’s “Artist’s Way”, and one of the practices in it involved taking yourself on an Artist Date once a week, doing something to feed your creativity. One particular week, I was very tight on money and took myself to the dollar store with five dollars, limiting myself to the five things that brought me the most joy in the moment. I came out of it with fuzzy posters, scented markers, a snack I hadn’t had since I was in elementary school, and something to drink, then parked myself on the couch and watched old cartoons while I colored. Once I was done, I’d opened a creativity dam and filled a page with ideas for pieces.

Asking: for information, for help, for feedback, for anything. Imposter syndrome is rooted in shame, which is rooted in fear and isolation. If you think “I’ll never be like (artist)” or “I’ll never be successful” … ask yourself what is making you think that. Then ask what you can do to change that… and who or what might be able to help you. Break everything down into the smallest steps, and take the first. The way things grow and snowball from that first small step continues to amaze me. If you’re like me and love recommended reading: Amanda Palmer’s “The Art of Asking” and Marie Forleo’s “Everything Is Figureoutable” are prime places to start, here.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

I have little in the way of financial or business knowledge, and have been trying to focus on building these. Podcasts, books, articles … I’ve been consuming as much as I can without having to pay for a course in business. This is particularly difficult because of some mental hurdles – both personal and medical – and I keep turning and looking at it from every angle until I find a way in. Recently I bought another book, and am making it my priority in 2025 to focus on the back end of running Grindark Studio as a business, since I have created a lot of quality pieces this year for event stock, and built a base network of contacts and colleagues. I have a framework, but I need to shore up the foundation. The biggest roadblock continues to be my lack of current capital – the solutions that would work best are still the most expensive, and I’m trying to figure out how to make progress without incurring more debt.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Artist Photo: NH Charitable Foundation

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