Hayley Sheldon

Florida-based Hayley Sheldon is a multi-faceted installation artist and sculptor who draws inspiration from the natural world and the quiet, poetic moments of everyday life.

Words: Hande Renshaw I Photography: Hayley Sheldon, Belathee Photography, Uprise Art & Chelsea Anne Horton

Florida-based multi-faceted installation artist and sculptor, Hayley Sheldon. Photo: Chelsea Anne Horton

‘In a way, I think we’re all born with an innate motivation to create, but I definitely felt, since I was a young child, the need to make with my hands,’ says Hayley Sheldon. Photo: Hayley Sheldon. Main hero photo: Belathee Photography

‘A piece takes months of planning and execution—I usually work in collections or small groups.’ Photo: Hayley Sheldon

Growth Mode by Hayley Sheldon. Photo: Courtesy of Uprise Art

‘The meditative rhythm of weaving and watching the shapes fill with tactile colour is so satisfying—it helps me slip into the zone effortlessly.’ Photo: Chelsea Anne Horton

Set Apart by Hayley Sheldon. Photo: Courtesy of Uprise Art

‘If twenty year old me in art school could see my current practice and life—that I’m making what I love and have always supported myself solely through making, I’d say that would seem pretty dreamy,’ shares Florida-based installation artist and sculptor, Hayley Sheldon.

Before working solely on her studio practice, Hayley spent many years as a display artist and visual manager for Anthropologie. The experience set her up with some valuable creative lessons and tools to hone her skills and garner an instinct for applying common materials in unconventional ways.

Hayley’s current body of work utilises a series of different shapes made by sewing directly onto timber frames, allowing colour, shape and visual weight to strike a balance and sense of ease. ‘Balance is so essential for me when creating this work. I think striking the right balance in composition, with colour, shape and visual weight allow for pieces that feel a sense of ease, but also confidence. Finding balance feels like the part of my practice that relies mostly on intuition and feeling,’ she says.

Drawn to the meditative quality found in repetition of movement, Hayley’s work pays homage to the natural world around her, honing in on the joyful colour and vibrance of her immediate sub-tropic environment, spending most days working outdoors in the sunshine. ‘Since the shapes and compositions often are inspired by natural elements that I come into contact with every day; the ocean, flat land, big sweeping sunsets—Florida often seems like a background theme in which every other creative thought can play off of,’ says Hayley.

Working from her home studio, Hayley’s sculptural pieces are a labour of love, her process involves preparing and sanding wood, hand-dyeing fibres and composing compositions—each of her pieces takes months of planning and execution.

‘This process allows me to nest smaller shapes one inside of another when allocating wood panels, preventing excess waste of materials. Once I’ve planned a group of works that I feel confident I’m ready to move forward with, the shapes are cut out of Baltic birch plywood, sanded, finished, and then woven into. Working in stages is very satisfying and it allows me to feel organised and in control of my process.’

Drawing on the vibrant colours around her, Hayley’s latest pieces feature warm pinks, oranges and yellows, tones that are the opposite of those she found appealing in her youth. ‘I think I’m drawn toward using them now, because to me, they act as characters in a language that can express buoyancy, joy and optimism. I love that they can be quiet and loud at the same time.’

Looking ahead, this year is an exciting one for the artist, she will be welcoming her third child in November, and completing the installation of a large scale piece she has created for the U.S. Embassy in Merida, in Mexico.

For more information about Hayley’s work, visit her website or follow her on Instagram.

‘I’m lucky that I was supported by my family to pursue this love and see where it would take me—I honestly can’t imagine spending my days any other way.’ Photo: Belathee Photography

Hayley Sheldon’s latest pieces feature warm pinks, oranges and yellows. Photo: Hayley Sheldon

“Since the shapes and compositions often are inspired by natural elements that I come into contact with every day—the ocean, flat land, big sweeping sunsets... Florida often seems like a background theme in which every other creative thought can play off of.”

— Hayley Sheldon

Photo: Hayley Sheldon

‘Balance is so essential for me when creating this work. I think striking the right balance in composition, with colour, shape and visual weight allow for pieces that feel a sense of ease, but also confidence.’ Photo: Belathee Photography