Meet Hannah Hazel of Blue Grama Stamps in Rural East Boulder

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Hazel.

Hannah, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In the summer of 2017, I sat down at my kitchen table with a slab of rubber and carving tool, determined to learn a new skill. I was craving a crafty distraction from the confines of my graphic design desk job. Before the rubber, it was clay and before that, it was beads. I’ve always been bouncing between mediums – the variety keeps me curious. Carving stamps after work became my favorite pastime. The stamps were mostly simple, flowers and pattern-making shapes. Honestly, I felt a bit manic during this time. Carving became an obsession – I would literally find rubber shavings in my hair. That was when I listed them for sale on Etsy. After several months of consistent sales, I quit my desk job and dove in full time. It was scary, unstable, and exhilarating. The big push of it all was custom logo stamps, which have made up probably 75% of my sales. Naturally, I was curious about pushing the stamps further so I created Stamp Your Own Stationery kits, hand-stamped greeting cards, and hand-stitched journals. The freedom of working for myself to set my own goals and paving my own path as an artist during this time was invaluable. I became so much closer to myself that year. However, there were days that were lonely, days that I longed for collaboration and insight outside of myself. Enter teaching workshops. I taught stamp carving workshops at the Louisville Library, Two Hands Paperie in Boulder, OTIS Coffee in Lafayette, and in my home studio. Sharing my skills and learning from people in the community through stamp carving was gratifying and filled that void instantly. I felt content… for a moment.

True to form, my hands longed to learn with another medium. On a whim, I signed up for a stained glass workshop in Longmont last summer. I felt the fire I had felt at the kitchen table with the slab of rubber. What is so enticing about the unfamiliar? In a way, it was an honor to learn about an ancient art that has been admired for centuries. I couldn’t wait to take the skills from the workshop back to my studio. On my non-carving days, I’d play with the glass. Once I’d accumulate too many finger cuts to bear, I’d go back to carving. (This is what balance looks like in my world.) What’s ironic is that the stamp carving has just as much potential for cuts as the glass does, but you get my point.

Today, I bounce between rubber and glass. My glass exploration has evolved as my skills have developed, starting with basic shapes and growing into complicated designs. I’ve been struck by the process of breaking and reassembling. The glass illustrates a deeper message than the rubber ever has. To me, the strength of the glass as it’s pieces are put back together is a metaphor for the breaking down and building up of attitudes towards our bodies. My interpretation of this has resulted in varying shapes, sizes, and colors of human vulvas. The more we welcome conversation and celebration of our bodies, the less room we leave for shame, fear, and unrealistic expectations of ourselves and others. The rubber stamps revolve around the customers’ needs for their specific project and I work to provide a tool in their journey. Whereas the stained glass vulvas are my project, my chance to say something more.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think anyone would be hard-pressed to find an artist that says it’s been an easy road. The road isn’t paved, it’s not even gravel. It’s a pile of rocks and trash that needs sifting, cleaning, rearranging, and then laid out to resemble a path. I’ve known I was an artist my whole life, but that doesn’t mean I’ve always known what to do. There’s a subtle, constant struggle with the unpredictability of a fluctuating paycheck. Through times of confusion and insecurity, I’ve learned to let my curiosities take me and know that somehow, through grace or luck or just a really tightly crossed set of fingers that I’ll land right side up. Alongside this, a solid support system of friends and family makes a world of difference.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
It’s difficult to pinpoint the proudest moment of my career because I feel it’s just beginning, but I’m very proud of myself for quitting my graphic design desk job two years ago in pursuit of carving stamps full time. It took a lot of courage to abandon a stable job that I was good at in a field that I’m professionally trained in. I went with my gut and I’m proud of that.

Pricing:

• Recycled Rubber Stamps $10-$50
• Stained Glass Vulvas $59-$120

Contact Info:

• Website: Rubber Stamps: www.bluegramastamps.etsy.com and Stained Glass: www.hanhaz.com
• Email: hannah@bluegramastamps.com and hueshaze@gmail.com
• Instagram: @bluegramastamps and @huehaze

Image Credit:
Anna Prybylski

Getting in touch: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.