“Winter Cabin” (2021), acrylic and wood on panel with frame, 3 x 3.5 x 1 inches. All images © Barry Hazard, shared with permission
Sunlit mountains rise from lush valleys and foam caps the crests of waves in the expansive landscapes of , painted at a scale that could fit snugly in the palm of your hand. Using wood panel as a base, Hazard builds up sculptural vistas in thick acrylic paint, detailing wildflowers, sandy beaches, and snow-capped peaks. Ranging from a couple of inches to about half a foot, his diorama-like Minis overflow from their tiny frames.
Hazard began working on a small scale during the pandemic when he was invited to participate in a show at , a 1:12-scale gallery that operated in 2020 and showcased its exhibitions online when lockdowns made visiting physical exhibitions impossible. He relishes making the Minis because of the sense of immediacy evoked by the medium in such a small surface area. “A single brushstroke may capture an entire sky, and an idea or impulse might be completed in minutes or hours—not days,” he says.
Beginning with a frame sourced from a dollhouse supplier, he builds up the surface using acrylic gesso and modeling paste before adding vivid color. Rendered with loose precision, features in the Minis like paths, hills, and figures are clearly defined yet anonymous. Containing sprawling scenes in a tiny space provokes a type of reflection and contemplation that requires moving in close, rather than standing back to take in a grand view. “The scale is the antithesis to something grand or monumental,” he says, inviting viewers to approach “with less caution than a large painting and perhaps a greater sense of intimacy and playfulness.”
Hazard also applies similar techniques to larger paintings. He will have work presented by at in Chicago this April and in New York City in May. Find more work on his and .
“Lovers Quarrel” (2020), acrylic on wood with frame, 2.5 x 2.5 x 1 inches
“Cove” (2021), acrylic on wood with frame, 2 x 2.5 inches
“Twilight Car” (2023), acrylic on wood with frame, 2.5 x 3 x 1 inches
“Gathering” (2020), acrylic, wood, and plastic on panels, 4 x 4 x 6 inches
Left: “Mini Canyon” (2020), acrylic on wood, 2.5 x 3 inches. Right: “Cemetery Tree” (2022), acrylic on wood with frame, 3 x 3 x 1 inches
“Spring Cabin at Winter” (2022), acrylic on wood with frame, 3 x 3 x 1 inches
“Rocky Shore” (2020), acrylic on wood with frame, 1.5 x 2 inches
Left: “Wildflowers (Poppies)” (2022), acrylic on wood with frame, 3 x 3.5 x 1 inches. Right: “Elevated Valley” (2023), acrylic on wood with frame, 3 x 2.5 x 1 inches
“Coyote” (2020), acrylic on wood with frame, 2.5 x 2.5 inches
“Beach Daze” (2021), acrylic and wood on panel, 4 x 4 x 7 inches
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