Meet artist Hayley Sheldon

Your name: Hayley Sheldon

Your pronouns: She/her
Where you live: West Palm Beach, Florida
What you do? I'm an artist whose focus is on tactility and color.

Can you tell us about your journey becoming an artist? I was a self identifying “artsy kid” growing up and knew I wanted to pursue a creative career. I loved looking at the old masters as well as crafting with paper, fabric and odds and ends I’d find around the house. In college I received my BFA in drawing and printmaking and really fell in love with abstraction and also process heavy ways of making. While living in Philadelphia I started working for Anthropologie on their visual team and learned so much about elevating everyday materials into pieces that could transform spaces. After many years of making in the commercial space and having my first daughter, I was feeling physically and creatively depleted and really tried to focus on work that would fill me up. That’s how I arrived at my current body of work. The shape, texture, color fields and meditative act of making hits all the marks for me.

What projects do you have on the horizon that you're excited about?  I am currently making a couple of pieces that will live in different hospitality spaces in the US, and possibly one for a US embassy in Mexico. I love the fact that art can transcend language barriers in any part of the world.

Can you talk a little about what it's like to be an artist on social media? What do you love? What do you not love? As someone who personally enjoys seeing the process behind other artist’s practices, I definitely see the value in sharing a bit behind the scenes. That being said, it is challenging to balance the act of creating and the documenting/sharing on social media. Lately I’ve been very mindful to only share what seems healthy for me and my work at the time.

What Bryr clog styles do you have and why did you pick them?  My most worn clogs are probably the Worker in natural, which has aged  into a lovely whiskey patina. But my Norma in fennel is a go-to when I want to add a fun pop of color.

Can you describe your personal style? I tend to gravitate towards pieces that have a vintage sensibility. I like fun colors and interesting silhouettes. I’m always attracted to pieces that have a bit of romantic whimsy but are still functional and not too fussy for me to make work and chase my two girls around in.

What are you excited about for 2023? We are currently in the process of building a new home from the ground up which is exciting in itself, but the part I am most looking forward to is having a new art studio; full of light and plenty of work space.