Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Haley Joyce Oliver. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Haley Joyce, appreciate you joining us today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

The first commission I ever did professionally was in middle school. The mother of my best friend wanted me to paint a portrait of her and her significant other. The painting was supposed to be a surprise gift which made me extremely excited to work on it. I remember asking my best friend to pose for me so I could get reference photos for the piece. I planned out a few designs and discussed color palettes and the size of the canvas she wanted it to be. When I worked on this painting, I was still learning how to use oil paint and didn’t really have a studio space to work in. So I took the large canvas and propped it against my dresser as I sat on the floor to paint. Since oil paint and mineral spirits aren’t safe to breathe in in small spaces, I made sure to open my window and turn of the fan to keep the air circulating. I was so excited to work on this painting that despite how uncomfortable the set up was, I would still sit on the floor for hours working on the painting. I would send pictures to my best friends mom periodically to get her feedback on what she liked and didn’t like and made the necessary changes. Overall, she was a happy client and I was lucky to see her reveal it to her significant other!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My interest in art started from a very young age as I would create sculptures with anything I could find around me. I would draw a lot in my free time as well and constantly learned from other art peers around me. I first got into the industry of art by doing commissions here in there throughout middle school and high school. I knew in middle school I wanted to learn more about art and the highschool I was zoned for was not going to be the place for me. So I auditioned and attended a fine arts high school in birmingham. From there I continued to do commission pieces and eventually my mother, who is a brand specialist, suggested I created my own brand and website so I could make a career out of my art. When working with clientele, I ask them questions about the concept of the piece they want created, whether its and gift or for personal use and what the artwork will mean to them. I also ask them to send me reference photos of what they are looking for so I can get a better understanding of what they want. The thing I am most proud of is that I can work with a wide variety of mediums. I can create drawings, paintings, sculptures and even sculptural paintings. I am willing to experiment new ways of working and creating art for my clients. I give my all and dedicated much time and consideration into any form of art that I do. Most of my clients ask me via in-person, phone or text message for commission pieces but I am currently working on my rebranding and a new website so clients can see previous works that I done and to inquire about commission work.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Throughout the past 7 years learning art, I have noticed many non-creatives viewing art that they admired respond by complementing the work then following it with the classic “I can’t even draw a stick figure.” To me, art is not always just a talent you’re born with but something you have to work hard for that also consists of trial and error to learn. I, and I’m sure with many other artists started off with drawing stick figures but the thing is we didn’t stop there. We kept pushing and learning to improve our skills no matter how difficult it was at times. There were many moments where I felt like giving up art because I would hit a wall, or didn’t see myself improving as fast as I wanted to. Art requires patience when learning. Art is like any other trade or craft that can be learned as long as you put in the effort. There are people who know all there is about cars, how they run, why something may not be working, and can fix it with no problem. These types of people I am referring to in this example at one point in their lives knew nothing about cars at all. But with time, patience, and effort, they were able to become masters at something they are passionate about. The same goes for art and any other art form and professional career.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

There was a point in my life where I had lost a few loved ones in a short period of time. During that time, I was also frustrated with my art and how things were going in school. Although I was grieving and struggling with my mental health, rather than allowing myself to self sabotage, I used these feeling and emotions to fuel my work. This is why most of my artwork even up to this point in my career is heavily reflective of my physical and emotional state of mind. Rather than allowing negative thoughts and these not so happy moments consume me, I instead used it a source of inspiration. It also in a sense, helped me heal from these experiences. These raw emotions are the reason why I have the visual aesthetic I have now and with each new experience, whether it be good or bad, helps me grow as a person as I explore it through my artwork.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.hjmckinley.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hj_mckinley/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haley.oliver.313924
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haley-oliver-b7923b188/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/hj_mckinley