Haley Flight
MTW: Tell us a little about yourself!
Haley Flight: I'm a huge goofball, I'm very passionate about cooking, and, if melancholy was a genre of music, it would be my favorite. I also love being in the water, which surprisingly doesn't come through in my work at all. I own a cat named Sage and I am in a very long distance (like 3,000+ miles) relationship.
MTW: What got you interested in illustration?
HF: Throughout my younger years I always loved incorporating art into school projects. Unlike some of my peers who would groan at the extra step from an essay, I was so happy to make a diorama or create a poster for a class assignment. In high school I realized I could make a career out of my creative proclivities. There's a great mix of personal creativity and assigned art direction within the field of illustration that is attractive to me.
MTW: Where do you find inspiration?
HF: The great splendor of the outdoors, getting lost in unfamiliar places, good food and kind strangers.
MTW: How does living in Maine/going to school here influence your work?
HF: Being able to walk out into my backyard and sketch forgeable foods is an example of how living in Maine influences my work. The accessibility to other artists is also a huge plus. It helps to be able to meet with a group of fellow illustrators to discuss collaborations and prevalent issues amongst emerging artists. A group of illustrators is currently forming a Portland based collective. Despite graduating in 2017, I can continue learning by having artists working in any number of mediums available to critique my work and share their knowledge.
MTW: What has been your favorite project so far?
HF: Honestly, working with Maine the Way has been my favorite project so far. The article I illustrate, Homesteading, combines all the things I'm passionate about. Plus, Robin, the author, is so great to collaborate with. I've had a fun time from sketch to final.
MTW: Do you have any personal projects you’re working on?
HF: I've been working with my fiancé to start a podcast about long distance relationships. We've both found that that area is lacking in content specific to our unique situation, so we thought it would be interesting to supply people in similar situations with some relatable, possibly humorous, content. Most of what I've seen in the podcast space focuses on long distance relationships within the US or friends that go to college in different states, frankly much different than the tragedy of being in love and separated by the Atlantic. Travel! Visas! Expensive!
In regards to my illustration, I'm planning on opening an Etsy shop with my prints and thinking about a self-published cook book.
What advice would you give to aspiring artists?
Follow your heart and work hard!