Hayley Thomas

Hayley Thomas
San Diego, California, USA

STATEMENT

My work is an ode to feeling. I am highly interested in the intersections between feelings, especially those which are seemingly oppositional, and the cyclical nature of life, death and dreaming. While my work is primarily influenced by my own experiences as a queer woman, I create with the intention to appeal to the overarching human experience, and allow viewers to see their own realities reflected. I seek to connect others, and to connect to others. I hope to inspire others to continue feeling and dreaming unabashedly.

Using solely found materials not only allows my work to be created sustainably but ultimately allows my work to be born organically and composed without preconceived ideas. I am limited to the imagery and resources that I naturally come across. In this way, each piece also becomes an inimitable entry in my metaphorical personal journal, written with mementos and memories of my time spent searching for materials and human connection.

BIO

Hayley Thomas is an emerging artist, utilizing analog collage in order to navigate human experience and emotions. Based in San Diego, California, Thomas’ work reflects her own experience as a queer woman and explores themes ranging from darkness, death, and brutal realism to nostalgia, love, and rapture. Composed solely of found materials, Thomas’ works provide a more contemporary exhibition of the traditional collage style, offering comprehensive scenes with perspective depth and the re-contextualization of bodies as part of our landscape.

Thomas graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California San Diego in 2021 and has since spent time as an artist in residence at AirGuiniguada (Gran Canaria, Spain) and EIGHT (Athens, Greece). Her shows include EIGHT Gallery (Athens, Greece), Cycad Gallery & Artist Collective (San Diego, California), and ENVZN23 Urban Arts Takeover (San Diego, California). Thomas has also been the recipient of various research-based arts grants, including those from Facet, the Russell Foundation, and the University of California.

ARTIST CONTACT

[click to email]
www.hayleythomas.space

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