Portraits by Hayley

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Portraits by Hayley

Custom, handpainted watercolour portraits Please see socials for waitlist updates
Current 2021 WAITLIST CLOSED
Please see website for pricing

23/11/2025

With every artwork you see on this page there is so much behind it. I’m not speaking here solely to the painting process, moreso to the reasons why a portrait came into being.

I’m easing myself back into posting and also respectfully sharing this piece. Some works just need time.
Again, not just the time to paint, but the time between that initial reaching out to the point of landing in its forever home.

This one has a huge story behind it. A faded photograph. A lot of weight. A lightness of friendship and a solidity in its creation.

I’m humbled by everything that has become the artworks’ backstory.

Here’s some detailed shots, of which I didn’t take many as this was a second restart of this piece (more on that later) where I knew things were working out. It’s never easy working with a blurry printed photo but this is a piece I simply couldn’t say no to and I’m glad I trusted my gut on more than one occasion.

H x

21/09/2025

Go all the way along then flip it into reverse…

I’ve been buying books for my daughter and those ‘spot the changes’ or ‘Where’s Wally’ collections had me looking through Koda’s portrait build with fresh eyes.

Always fun to put all the shots together and pin point why I decided it was a good time to snap a photo. A juggle of too many and never enough. Worlds between the first and the last!

Hx

Watercolour portrait: the gorgeous Koda in all his glory
on

15/09/2025

I’ve been so busy I almost forgot to start sharing this beautiful, lively boy!

The half finished moments in a portrait are often my favourite so I like to honour them first.

‘Koda’
300gsm cold pressed cotton
watercolours

07/09/2025

Why this community is one of the best. Raising each other up, determination, passion, humanness, laughter, depth, connectedness, humility.

Open night for prize was simply brilliant. Thank you also to

Nights like this provide absolute clarity of why the arts are so integral. Extending to my commissions and this space right here, I am so sure of why I am a part of this world. Placing aside the fact that being an artist is simply who I am, it extends to being a part of a community that at its very core strengthens the values of what it means to be human.
What it means to question, to create and to belong.

I’m pretty grateful to be here x

17/08/2025

‘Congratulations - You Are a Finalist in the 2025 Kennedy Prize 🎉 ‘ read the email.

I am so honoured “Midway in Clay” has been selected as a finalist in the 2025 Kennedy Prize, category- painting, theme- beauty. Thank you to

ARTIST STATEMENT:
‘Midway in Clay’ is admitting that the human experience is beautiful because of the hard not in spite of it. Real, sometimes gritty, always with duality. Exploring how to measure a life; ups vs downs, denial vs embrace, ignorance of feelings vs allowing them all to co-exist. Sometimes you’ve just got to go through the mud. How beautifully human.

Exhibition details: Royal South Australian Society of Arts, Level One, corner North Terrace & Kintore Avenue, Adelaide SA
Sat 6th Sept - Sun 21st Sept

This watercolour piece will be exhibited alongside incredible names and I cannot wait to see it hanging again. I could say more but words escape me at the minute.

Thank you to my cooperative, clay covered model Guy Ringwood,

15/08/2025

I locked myself out of my house this morning. It’s not an easy feat getting back in and involved first doing some pretty hectic arm manoeuvres to open a lock to get in the back gate.
If you’ve been here a while you’ll know I lost this beautiful girl, Indie bum last December and boy did I get a hit today.
Twisted my arm around the pole, the lock popped open, the gate screeched and nothing. No little paw taps on the concrete investigating the noise, no bum wriggles at the sight of mum.
I’m tearing as I type this. One day I’ll pause and paint a portrait of her. Today I just wanted a permanent place on the grid for my girl. My partner in crime for 15 years- how lucky was I?

X

04/08/2025

If this is what you’ve been waiting for I hope it reaches you x

Can’t wait,
H

03/08/2025

Bit of a personal share for this Sunday as I’m clearing through a full storage drive (you know the one ☁️) and reflecting on some recent conversations.

When I type ‘art gallery’ into my photo search these are some of the 2025 gems that appear. All centred around sharing art with some of my nearest and dearest. Parts of these images also hold something I want to delve into through a new body of personal work which will carry into 2026. Saying that is both daunting and exciting at the same time.

For now though here’s 6 snippets;adelaide current show ‘Dangerously Modern’ or Dangerously women as my girlfriends liked to taunt- a *must see and a show that HIT HARD on a number of levels.
visit with my mini during the journal launch earlier this year. A beautiful space.
exhibition all centred around the incredible and its artists.
showcase of Yayoi Kusama that my daughter and I road-tripped to see with her aunt. Special and significant memories here.

While I’m not participating in this year I’ll be going to a number of shows, if you have suggestions at all I am ALL ears, throw them at me.

I’m going to go get some sunshine on my face before sitting at the painting desk again,
H x

01/08/2025

SAVE THE DATE •Monday 4th August I will be opening my books. *insert a face of sheer excitement

This carousel is a collection of information about how to order and some of my most asked questions in preparation for next week. I’ll pop a version in my stories too.

On Monday morning I’ll do another little update to mark the opening with a few more details & what’s available.

For those who have been waiting oh so patiently, I cannot wait to see what you have for me! Prep those messages and images now.

Be in touch! See you soon…
H x

28/07/2025

Swipe to see reference vs painting>>>> The details of Gilbert’s special artwork.

Storytime.
I delivered a portrait the other day and when chatting to my client a couple of thoughts really landed. One, how often I hear ‘oh it looks amazing (or better!) in person 😅 which is spectacularly nice but how do I get this across online!

And two (more importantly and the point I really want to lean into) how human the experience of working with an artist is.

Whether the process begins via word of mouth, a stumble on the interwebs or through an in person encounter, commissioning a work is a backwards and forwards of sharing and valuing; communication, connection and creation.
It’s quite grounding and really beautiful.

The conversation was really rewarding and I could probably go on but the crux of the story has a true appreciation for this title and what the work embodies.

‘It can be hard to be an artist, it’s harder NOT being one’.

Here’s to more connecting and creating,
H x

15/06/2025

Let’s just go backward for a second shall we and meet ‘GILBERT’.

Layers that build.
Quality > time.
One of a kind.

Artworks like this can’t be rushed, especially when painting with a medium where white is the page left free of paint.

Patience. Layers and love / your love of your baby meets my love of watercolour.
H x

Watercolor painting on 300gsm German cold pressed paper. Realism at 29.7 x 42.0cm.

Address

Adelaide, SA

Website

http://www.portraitsbyhayley.com/

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