Name: Shelby Hayward
Age: 21
Program: BFA, Honours Specialization in Studio Art (third year)
Relationship Status: Single
Tell me about yourself and all the things you do at Western.
I am the youngest of three sisters, who I can genuinely say are my best friends, and I come from a very artistic family, so art school was no surprise for us! I pretty much live in the visual arts building, and it is not unheard of for me to be in the building from 8 am until 10 pm, though I do venture out of there sometimes.
In addition to being a full time student at Western, I also skate three days a week for two synchronized skating teams in London (London Synchronicity Intermediate, and Adult 1) so a lot of my time is spent in the arena as well. Fun fact: I have skated for almost 19 years now!
Music also plays a huge role in my life; I have met so many amazing people and formed so many great friendships through live music. If I am not at school or the arena, you can likely find me at rock show.
What’s your favourite thing to do in London?
London is very close to home, so I don’t find myselfreally exploring or enjoying it as much as I maybe should, but I have been making an effort to so lately. I definitely enjoy a good wine and cheese night with friends, and of course it’s always great when my favourite bands play in London!
What made you want to pursue visual arts at Western?
Being close to my family and skating were definitely a huge part of that decision; I would lose my mind without them. Western is also a great school, and I knew I would be getting a quality education doing something I love. I had looked at a few other art programs and schools but from day one I knew I wanted Western. It was just kind of a gut feeling.
In addition to my BFA, I also hope to attend teacher’s college, and someday hopefully become a high school art teacher.
What makes you want to be a teacher? Have you had a teacher in the past who made a meaningful impact on you?
My art teacher in high school has always been one of my biggest supporters, and I feel very privileged to have her in my life. She was the first one to tell me when I was being unreasonable or call me out on my sass, but was also always there when I needed to talk. She really helped me discover my style and break bad habits I had developed, and I still use her advice to this day. When it came down to choosing a school and career path, she really helped me discover that teaching art was what I really wanted to do. I would love toinfluence someone the way she has influenced me.
What medium do you prefer to work in? Why?
I used to always answer this question with “painting and sculpture,” but I have recently fallen in love with printmaking. The processes of printmaking are super interesting, and it’s definitely a fun thing to do as well. So I would still say that I love paint and sculpture, but my spotlight is currently on printmaking.
Could you describe the first time you worked with a nude model?
The first time working with a nude model—as it is for anybody drawing a naked person for the first time—was definitely nerve wracking. The first model we drew looked a lot like me, actually: same body type, same hair colour, and when she dropped the robe, my first thought was “yep, this looks familiar!” After the initial shock of just having a person in front of you who is very naked and just there, you know you have to analyze their body so it actually becomes a very enjoyable experience, and you really start to appreciate the human body in a way you haven’t before.
Are you selling any of your work?
Yes! Most of my print works are for sale and I am working on making prints of my paintings available, which can be found on Facebook and Instagram. There are also photos that I collaborated with my sister on (she is a professional photographer) and prints of those photos can also be purchased!
If you could give one piece of advice to students interested in taking visual arts, what would it be?
I think I am going to break the rules on this one a little bit, and make it a two-parter.
Number one: if you want to do it, just do it. A lot of artists and art students get a lot of crap from people for going to art school, and I myself have had several people say to me, “it must be fun to just do paintings for homework all the time” as if what I am doing is not work. But it’s hard work, and it’s not all fun and games. People will doubt you or question your decisions all the time, but if you truly do love it then just keep going, and do it for you. At the end of the day you should be doing something you love and as long as you are happy, none of those other negative opinions really matter.
Number two: never stop improving, and never be afraid to ask for help. You are in school to learn, so get as much out of it as you can. Use criticisms to fuel you into creating something amazing, and strive to impress yourself. It’s a really great feeling when you do!