Today we’d like to introduce you to Hailey Losselyong.
Hailey, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m not exactly sure where my story begins. As far as I can remember, I’ve always been into anything crafty. My grandma taught me about knitting and sewing, my mom could always draw and my best friend introduced me to fashion. I began painting consistently right before I left for college. During that time, I would do lots of small paintings, mostly requests, and sell them just to make some extra money.
After doing this for a while I started to get tired of recreating other peoples work and decided to put more time into my own designs. It honestly took some time to gain confidence in my own work, probably about two years. But this past year has been the most creative year of my life. I was involved in my first group art show over the summer and that experience gave me the confidence to keep pushing myself and my work.
Around the same time, I started interning for Hebru Brantley Studios. Being self-taught, this internship has given me invaluable insight into the life of an artist. I am currently in the beginning stages of planning a few events but most importantly my first solo show to take place sometime next year.
Has it been a smooth road?
I don’t think the life of a creative can ever be described as smooth. First off, making the decision to drop out of school and leave a conventional career behind is not easy. You’re always met with thoughts like “I don’t want to disappoint my parents” or ” will I actually find success and be able to be comfortable financially?”. College just wasn’t for me. I started out at DePaul and although I was awarded an academic scholarship, tuition is still very steep. Stress from being in honors classes while having to work full time to help with tuition grew old very quickly. I decided to leave school and take a year off.
To be completely honest, I didn’t really accomplish anything during my year off of school. I was still working full time to pay back the loans I took out and I didn’t make the time for painting that I wanted to. Finally, I decided to move out to Iowa. The most random decision I’ve ever made but it turned out to be fruitful. There I found solitude and the time to dedicate to my art. My confidence grew again and I knew I had to pursue my passion.
Fortunately, I have the most supportive friends and family one could ask for. I moved back home and things began to fall into place. I know I will occasionally run into obstacles whether they’re creative blocks or financial hardships. All of those are fine though because I would rather struggle to do something I love than struggle in a position I have no interest in.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with HML – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
So my business is named HML because those are my initials (Hailey Marie Losselyong) but it’s also an acronym for the phrase Hit My Line. I think people know me for a lot of the creative activities I partake in but I would say most people know me for my paintings. I love to make big bold paintings of women using a combination of bright colors, line work, and dots. Not only do I paint on canvas, but I have taken my love for thrifting and began to paint on apparel as well. I love wearable art. I’ll take plain jackets or purses and give them new life with one of my paintings. I love what I do and I really pride myself on trying to with anyone who genuinely supports me.
By this, I mean that I like to work with all different types of budgets. Being 21, I have a lot of peers that can’t afford to spend hundreds of dollars on paintings but still want to be supportive. I love making prints, postcards, sticker packs, etc. at lower prices so everyone can be involved. Having a range of prices has definitely gained me more support throughout all of my social media platforms.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Chicago is amazing. I’m probably biased but I’ve never been to a city that I love more. The culture here is so rich. From the art scene to the music scene to just even the language used. I really love how the city is transforming before our eyes right now. There has been a major increase of interest throughout every facet.
You can tell that big brands and companies are beginning to put more effort into Chicago. I love how so many artists are getting to do collaborations with brands like Nike, Adidas and Red Bull. It’s all so inspiring and just another reason I keep pushing. There isn’t anything negative I have to say about the city. The worst thing that comes to mind is this winter weather we’re about to get.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.HML.Design
- Email: hmlosselyong@gmail.com
- Instagram: hai_ey
- Twitter: hai_ey
Image Credit:
Nolis Anderson
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
