I’m Hailey, the artist behind Watercolorwoods! My art is a mix of vibrant watercolors and acrylics, reflecting the wild turquoise rivers, massive glaciers, and ocean waves that make me feel most joyful. I spent years captaining and working on Coast Guard ships throughout Alaska, before I transitioned to making a livelihood and a life out of art full time. I constantly find inspiration in this powerful place - brilliant winter auroras, moss-coated rainforests, beaches of fireweed & lupine, and the many inhabitants (human & otherwise) that make living here so exciting.
I believe that art is a universal love language, and it can be used not only to make spaces feel more vibrant, but to share science, communicate indigenous knowledge, and make complex stories accessible to wide audiences. I believe that spending time on the land, amongst rivers, mountains and the ocean is critical, because it helps us to grow personal relationships with those places and drives our passion to protect them. I hope people look at these paintings and feel the massive amounts of joy/wildness/challenge/and awe that inspired them. The world needs all the good it can get.
Besides art, I love traveling, and exploring whitewater rivers in my kayak, ski touring my way up mountains and across glaciers, and scrambling around on rocks. I’m a reader that loves books about strong women and history and magic. Evenings are for cooking recklessly without recipes, summer days are for catching salmon, and fall leaves are the perfect indicator that it’s time to forage for blueberries and mushrooms in the mountains.
My merchandise is made with environmentally responsible production methods. I personally produce and package my prints, and collaborate with small businesses to produce goods that are high in quality and sustainability. You can see a list of companies I work with on my “Collaborations” page.
I am so grateful for your support of my work!