Mother-Daughter Artistic Collaboration Sparks Viral Sensation and Exhibitions at Age 88
At 88 years young, Christine Hazell has traded her traditional hobbies for a new passion - drawing. The 65-year-old retired woman from Yorkshire had never picked up a pencil before but began creating over six months ago, guided by her son Matthew Higgs, a renowned curator and gallerist. Since the start of his mother's artistic journey in May, more than 200 drawings have been produced, captivating audiences on social media platforms like Instagram.
Hazell's unique style, which reflects her own distinct perspective, has sparked attention from prominent art critics and institutions worldwide. "Allow someone the time, encouragement, and resources to be creative, and it will most likely happen," believes Matthew Higgs, who shares his mother's artwork on his personal account, inspiring thousands of followers.
Hazell's artistic process is intriguing as she selects what to include or leave out in each drawing. The artist has also described some pieces as being "magical" and "moving." Drawing family members has become a therapeutic outlet for her, despite her memory loss becoming increasingly severe.
Hazell will make her debut at the York restaurant and exhibition space Partisan, run by Florencia Clifford and her partner Hugo Hildyard. The owner describes Christine's art as "magical and moving" with an obvious freedom of expression without self-consciousness. Following a successful show in York, another group of drawings will be showcased at London's Studio Voltaire this summer.
Art institution Blacksmith's Shop East Yorkshire has also welcomed Hazell to their 2026 summer exhibition. Owner-curator Mark Ibson describes her artwork as "the best example of outsider art I've seen in Yorkshire," created with no commercial motivation.
With the increasing number of exhibitions and praise pouring in from Tracey Emin, Jerry Saltz, Alex Farquharson, and others, it is clear that Christine Hazell's journey into drawing has not only provided her newfound joy but also captured the hearts of many.
At 88 years young, Christine Hazell has traded her traditional hobbies for a new passion - drawing. The 65-year-old retired woman from Yorkshire had never picked up a pencil before but began creating over six months ago, guided by her son Matthew Higgs, a renowned curator and gallerist. Since the start of his mother's artistic journey in May, more than 200 drawings have been produced, captivating audiences on social media platforms like Instagram.
Hazell's unique style, which reflects her own distinct perspective, has sparked attention from prominent art critics and institutions worldwide. "Allow someone the time, encouragement, and resources to be creative, and it will most likely happen," believes Matthew Higgs, who shares his mother's artwork on his personal account, inspiring thousands of followers.
Hazell's artistic process is intriguing as she selects what to include or leave out in each drawing. The artist has also described some pieces as being "magical" and "moving." Drawing family members has become a therapeutic outlet for her, despite her memory loss becoming increasingly severe.
Hazell will make her debut at the York restaurant and exhibition space Partisan, run by Florencia Clifford and her partner Hugo Hildyard. The owner describes Christine's art as "magical and moving" with an obvious freedom of expression without self-consciousness. Following a successful show in York, another group of drawings will be showcased at London's Studio Voltaire this summer.
Art institution Blacksmith's Shop East Yorkshire has also welcomed Hazell to their 2026 summer exhibition. Owner-curator Mark Ibson describes her artwork as "the best example of outsider art I've seen in Yorkshire," created with no commercial motivation.
With the increasing number of exhibitions and praise pouring in from Tracey Emin, Jerry Saltz, Alex Farquharson, and others, it is clear that Christine Hazell's journey into drawing has not only provided her newfound joy but also captured the hearts of many.
And can you believe her son is curating all these exhibitions? Talk about a supportive family! I'm loving the fact that she gets to express herself through art, even if it means leaving out some parts. It's like she's saying "you know what? This doesn't have to make sense, but it feels right." That's so liberating! 
. Christine's unique style and perspective are truly captivating, and it's lovely to see her family supporting her creative journey 
.
. And it's even more inspiring to see prominent art critics and institutions taking notice of her work 
. It just goes to show that age is just a number when it comes to creativity 
. Art has this incredible power to bring people joy and comfort, and Christine's story is a perfect example of that 
.
88 yr old lady just started drawn & its goin viral 
she got a son who guides her thru it & now her art is making ppl around the world swoon 
its like shes found her purpose in life 
there's this 88 year old lady christine hazell who just started drawing 6 months ago and she's already making waves in the art world! 
i mean, i love how her son is supporting her and sharing her artwork online which is so cool. 
. I'm def checkin out her work, can't wait to see what magic she creates next 
OMG, can we talk about this for a second? I mean, an 88-year-old lady starting to draw again with the help of her son and it just blows my mind! 
it shows that age is just a number and you never know what hidden talents you might have lurking inside 
Partisan restaurant and exhibition space is calling my name 
. Matthew's guidance has been instrumental in bringing out Christine's unique style, which is now being recognized globally by renowned critics and institutions 
... who wouldn't want to be magical in their art?! The fact that she's using art as therapy because of memory loss is so inspiring too 
I mean, it's not like she's doing it for money or anything, but still, maybe we should be worried about how people are using art to cope with mental health issues? 
Ugh, my brain is all confused now 
. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for celebrating Christine's talent, but let's not forget that some of these art critics are saying she's the best example of outsider art they've seen in Yorkshire? That's like saying a newb at Fortnite is a pro player 
.
.
. The collaboration between mom and son is so sweet 
That's dedication! I'm excited to see more of her artwork 
. It's a reminder that you're never too old to try something new 
.
i mean, don't get me wrong, it's nice to see people doing what they love at their age, but this whole thing feels like a marketing ploy to me. mark my words, someone's gonna come along and "discover" her art in 5 years when she passes away 
i love how it's become therapeutic for her too 
! Maybe we can learn a thing or two from her about stayin' curious and expressin' ourselves without fear