Meet Postix Designer Haley

Haley’s creative journey is as colorful and vibrant as the stickers she designs. Growing up in San Diego, she always had a love for art, which led her to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Art Studio at UC Davis. Specializing in drawing and printmaking, she later shifted her focus to working with people, earning a Master’s in Counseling Psychology and spending the last eight years as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. And now, we're excited to have her work at Postix! Learn more about Haley below.

To begin with, can you tell me a bit about yourself, design background and how you got into stickers?

I have consistently remained active in creating artwork in a variety of mediums since college. In 2013, I began designing and producing therapy tools and toys and selling them in my first Etsy shop, Haley Sez.

In 2017, I started to really miss having a community of fellow artists. I discovered that artists from around the world were connecting on Instagram and trading their artwork with each other, and thought this would be a great way to meet other creative people. In particular, artists were making and swapping their own stickers (both handmade and professionally produced), as this was a very easy and fun way to share artwork with others.

I started making hand drawn stickers, reaching out to artists who inspired me, and making some amazing trades with sticker artists who worked in a variety of styles and subject matter. After trading for several months, I also began finding individuals and communities who collected vintage stickers from brands like Mrs. Grossman’s, Lisa Frank, Sanydlion, and more! This immediately rekindled my childhood love for stickers, and I began my collection of nostalgic and vintage stickers.

I also decided around this time to turn my hobby into a small business, and I opened my second Etsy shop, Surprise Inside! Art. I started designing stickers and sticker sheets, getting them professionally printed, and making them available for sale in my shop. I also have consistently sold a variety of vintage stickers in the Surprise Inside! shop since it’s opening, including vending machine stickers, sticker sheets, and sticker mods from good ol’ fashioned sticker rolls!

Where do you look for inspiration for your ideas?

I honestly find inspiration everywhere: personal experiences, other artists, dreams, my imagination. I often draw things that are representative of my own interests, or in other words, I draw the things I like.

I do think that a good deal of the stickers I have designed so far have been significantly inspired by vintage sticker styles, nostalgic toys and subject matter, and vibrant color palettes that are often found in children’s toys and books.

Stationery often conveys a sense of personality and style. Can you describe your own personal style, and how would it influence your designs for stationery and related products?

First and foremost: I love bold and bright colors. In fact, many of my designs include all of the colors of the rainbow because I am personally drawn to artwork that reminds me of a rainbow.

I tend to create artwork with defined outlines and areas of color, and work less with shading and blending. I think this comes at least in part from my educational background in drawing and printmaking, and my long-time love for modern art that uses this type of aesthetic.

I also draw what I like! Every sticker, Washi tape, journal clip, enamel pin, etc. that I have ever created is something that I would personally enjoy using in my own crafts and snail mail.

Stickers sometimes serves as a keepsake or memento. What are some of the feelings you hope people get with your designs on stickers/stationery pieces?

Just thinking about this makes me really happy! I think that the stickers that are most meaningful to me in my own collection are the ones that feel like I am getting a glimpse into the artist’s creative and authentic self.

To me, art and creativity are like play, and when you get to see another person completely let down their walls and play too, it feels like such an honor to witness. I love the possibility that one piece of art can be interpreted and experienced in a multitude of ways, depending on the audience, and I hope that my stickers can be that way for whomever may find them.

I hope that when people see my stickers, they might get a glimpse into my own humor, creativity, and play, and feel inspired to join the fun!