Offaly Artist Finds Success With Unique Hand Painted Scarves

By Justin Kelly

A moment of inspiration while brainstorming gift ideas for friends in the 1990s has led Offaly-based artist Hazel Greene from the canvas to the catwalk with her unique hand painted scarves. Hazel had always been a painter, but she wanted to come up with a bespoke gift for people “who were used to quality,” and so she experimented with silk, eventually bringing the resulting scarves to the home and export market.

Hazel told InOffaly this week that there have been times she tried to separate her traditional oil painting background from her silk scarf business, but she soon realised that “both elements of her practice are inextricably and creatively intertwined.” She explained by saying “the vividness and the colours of the painted silk inspire my paintings, and the paintings, in turn, inspire my scarf designs,” thus making Hazel's collections true works of art.  Hazel’s paintings are mostly inspired by women, and her designs are very often created along the same lines. Her most recent collection for 2015 features images from a recent solo exhibition which she had themed on ‘women in the city.’

Hazel is based at Bramber Studio, near Shinrone, Birr, where she also runs art classes and a picture framing service with her husband Cyril Stanley. Hazel paints her scarves in the same way she produces a conventional painting on canvas. However, the art of painting on silk is far more delicate, taking tedious amounts of time and great care. Using tiny brushes, Hazel puts her designs onto the scarves using fabric dye, and in order to stabilise the dye, her creation must then be treated with steam. Despite the incredible attention to detail needed to handcraft Hazel’s scarves, the Birr-based artist finds her work extremely therapeutic. “I really do,” she said, “I am in my own little world when working on the scarves.”

All of Hazel’s hand painted scarves are produced in her studio in Shinrone, but after experimenting with the idea of printing her designs onto the silk a year ago, Hazel had to send her work to one of the fashion capitals of the world; Milan. “Unfortunately we don’t have the means to print textiles in Ireland so I went over to Milan, and that was the start of my printed collection, which is now up and running,” Hazel explained. Hazel also sells directly to the public through her website at www.hazelgreene.ie, and her handmade range starts at €35.


Greene’s artistic experience stems back to her time studying in the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art and Design from 1994 to 1998, although her love of art is absolutely timeless. “I always painted and visited galleries. I love all things visual really,” she said. Hazel went on to study painting under Una Sealy, Mick O’Dea and Joe Dunne, and has had her work featured in exhibitions curated by Peter Prendergast, Claudia Woolgar and Martina Finn. Greene has been the visual arts co-ordinator of Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival since 2010, and since 2005, has taught painting within the community, providing art classes at her own studio.

Hazel was recently interviewed on RTE’s Nationwide programme by presenter Mary Kennedy at the National Crafts & Design Fair at the RDS, where she was showcasing her scarves. For the second year in a row, Hazel has been nominated as a finalist in the Accessory Designer of the Year section of the Irish Fashion Innovation Awards. “I am thrilled to be a finalist again. I’m actually just back from Milan, where they will print the designs that helped me land the place in the final,” Hazel remarked.

The award nomination and Nationwide appearance have kick-started 2015 for Hazel, and she plans to continue to “hit the ground running” for the rest of the year. She continues to produce her scarves in-house at Bramber Studio, while organising her printed range in Milan. Hazel has also been awarded another exhibition in March, and will exhibit during Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival this summer. She will bookend the year back at the RDS again with her stand at the National Crafts & Design Fair in December.

If you wish to enquire about Hazel’s scarves, artwork or art classes, you can contact her at info@bramberstudio.com, or phone 087-2889616. If you are interested in purchasing one of Hazel’s unique silk scarves, visit www.hazelgreene.ie.