Regrets a Second Skin
Hazel Vernon
Chicago
BIOGRAPHY
Hazel Vernon, an 18-year-old ceramic sculptor, whose work dives into themes of coming of age and the pressures society places on individuals as they grow and change. From a young age, Hazel felt a natural pull toward creating, finding in art a way to explore and express the complexities of life. This lifelong passion led her to focus her studies primarily on ceramics and sculpture, where she developed both technical skills and a deeper understanding of form and material.
As an emerging artist, just starting to shape her voice, Hazel has worked as a ceramics technician, gaining valuable experience with the practical aspects of her craft, and as an art and ceramics instructor. Teaching has been an important part of her journey as she is inspired by the creativity and openness of children, as well as the dedication of older students and she enjoys watching their artistic exploration and encouraging them to find their own voices.
Hazel is preparing to attend the Art Institute of Chicago to continue her formal education. She is eager to expand her artistic practice and immerse herself in an environment that challenges her ideas and pushes her creative boundaries.
A strong interest in art history, particularly the dynamic evolution of styles, has deeply influenced Hazel’s work. She is especially drawn to pop art and its history, appreciating how artists of the past have responded to culture and society in bold and innovative ways. This fascination informs her own approach, as she weaves personal experience with broader cultural themes, creating sculptures that invite reflection on youth, identity, and the universal pressures of growing up.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My work explores the personal journey of coming of age through a minimalist lens. As I’ve faced major life changes, I’ve had to take on new responsibilities and confront the uncertainty that often comes with growing older. In childhood, the future feels full of endless possibilities. But as we grow, those possibilities narrow, and we begin to question the paths we've chosen. My sculptures reflect a shift from the pressure to succeed to the fear of becoming someone you never planned to be, and the quiet longing to return to a simpler, more hopeful time.
These pieces carry a sense of nostalgia, but also a fragile kind of hope. There’s a tension between playfulness and heaviness, between who I was, who I am, and who I might have been. One piece features a smaller figure striving for an unattainable ideal, while a larger form sinks into self-pity and regret. This theme of self-pity runs through much of my work, though not as judgment, but as observation. I see how it traps people in cycles of negative thinking, making them feel stuck and powerless. My larger figures embody that weight, while the smaller ones chase something just out of reach.
Through this contrast, I invite viewers to reflect on their feelings and journeys: the dreams they've outgrown, the pressure to be more, and the beauty in simply being enough.
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