For the past decade, illustrator Hayley Wall has carved out a unique space in the creative industry, using their artistic talents to explore deeply personal and socially important themes including queerness, disability, gender identity, and mental health. Their journey into illustration began with encouragement from a college tutor during their final year studying graphic arts and design, a pivotal moment that changed the trajectory of their career.

Coming from a small Midlands town, Hayley initially struggled with traditional education. "I wouldn't have been on this path without the support and encouragement from certain teachers and family who saw potential in me when I didn't," they explain. For Hayley, illustration serves as more than just a profession – it's a fundamental form of communication. "Making pictures is how I communicate, how I make sense of the world, and how I tell stories that I feel are important," they say.

Hayley has discovered their calling in translating emotions and experiences from the physical body to the illustrated form. Their work centers around identity and how individuals relate to the world around them. "With the political state of the world, things can feel like you're carrying a weight on your shoulders, therefore hope, community, and interconnectedness are threads that I keep present throughout my work – if you don't have hope, what do you have?" Hayley reflects.

When building their professional portfolio, Hayley deliberately sought out publications that aligned with their values and lived experiences. Their first significant portfolio piece was created for Sick Magazine, an independent publication created by chronically ill and disabled people. The cover art showcases Hayley's skill with texture and dimension, demonstrating their careful and considered approach to vibrant color palettes that perfectly complement their artistic vision.

Hayley's artistic style is characterized by rich, full-bodied subjects and dynamic compositions. Their background in dance training significantly influences their current work. "I grew up training to be a dancer and now this movement exists within my illustrations," Hayley explains. By incorporating these dynamic shapes and movements, they create entirely new worlds of sensation and emotion. "The bodies I draw are often a reflection of me but can at times express who I desire to be. They allow me to see myself in different and empowering ways."

One particularly meaningful project for Hayley was a commission from the Los Angeles Times for a story revisiting the MeToo movement. "When I reflect on the piece, I remember how charged I was with raw emotion existing in proximity to my own life," they recall. Hayley feels grateful for the opportunity to express these intense feelings on such an important platform, especially regarding sexual abuse, which "thrives on silence."

Emotion serves as the driving force behind Hayley's work. In a project for the Wellcome Collection, their illustrations accompanied a piece about a writer's adult autism diagnosis. This topic, rarely discussed in the context of adult experiences, allowed Hayley to explore their own diagnostic journey while chronicling the writer's experience through visual storytelling. This personal series helped establish a core principle of Hayley's artistic practice: the concept of journeying.

Hayley's creative methodology begins with comprehensively understanding the given article or essay. Due to their dyslexia, they carefully reread materials multiple times, highlighting meaningful passages and concepts. These words then weave together, collecting emotions along the way, which Hayley channels into their body-centered illustrations. When beginning the drawing process, Hayley uses their own body or a friend's body as reference imagery.

However, Hayley's approach extends far beyond simply depicting bodies. "Alongside the bodies, I emphasize the story I'm telling through color, hand-rendered textures, and metaphorical and symbolic environments," they explain. Rather than focusing on literal representations, Hayley repositions their illustrations to create windows into new worlds, inviting viewers and readers to form their own interpretations and connections with the work.

For Hayley, illustration represents an extension of existing worlds, offering pathways to new ideas and experiences. Their client work spans prestigious publications including The New York Times, The New Yorker, and various independent magazines, each project allowing them to explore different aspects of human experience and social issues.

Throughout their career, Hayley has remained committed to using their artistic platform to amplify important stories and experiences, particularly those related to marginalized communities. Their work demonstrates the power of illustration to distill complex topics and emotions into single, impactful images that resonate with viewers on both intellectual and emotional levels.

Hayley's portfolio includes diverse projects ranging from editorial illustrations for major newspapers to covers for independent publications, each piece reflecting their commitment to creating art that promotes understanding, empathy, and social awareness. Their distinctive style, characterized by dynamic movement, rich textures, and thoughtful color choices, has established them as a significant voice in contemporary illustration.

As they continue to develop their practice, Hayley remains focused on using their artistic abilities to tell stories that matter, creating visual narratives that give voice to experiences that might otherwise remain unspoken or misunderstood. Their work serves as a testament to the power of illustration as both personal expression and social commentary, demonstrating how art can serve as a bridge between complex ideas and public understanding.