Independent Arts News Reporting 
Pictured Above: Artist Haley Manchon. Photo Credit: Contributed.
An Conversation with Artist Haley Manchon
By Artist Contributor, Gary Giordano
Bucks County Painter Gary Giordano, a local artist shares his conversation with fellow artist, Haley Manchon
What are you currently working on?
It’s the end of the year, so I’m reflecting on 2024 and planning goals for 2025. During the holiday I like to take some time to sit and think about what I achieved, what I’m proud of, what I didn’t get to and what I can improve on.
I try to take this as an opportunity to be positive with myself. I think it’s really easy for artists to be self-critical, so it’s good to look back and remember that I was working toward something, and there was some fruit from my labor. And I can learn from my mistakes.
You talk about isolation and self reflection. I see this in your portraiture or feel it. Can you explain this?
My recent drawings have been focusing on my experience with shyness, specifically wanting to be seen and hidden simultaneously. Pieces can talk about this directly or touch on other aspects in relation to it.
The use of dura-lar as a semi-transparent surface, combined with the use of colored pencils, allows me to delicately balance an ebb and flow of my subject coming in and out of focus. In some portraits it’s used to create distance between another person, presenting a lack of context, things left unsaid, or assuming others’ thoughts. I’ve also used it as a way to show the passage of time, looping, or getting lost in thought cycles. At the end of the day it’s different ways to talk about overthinking.
Pictured Above: “Space Cadet” by artist Haley Manchon. Photo Credit: Contributed.
We had a brief discussion about being a woman artist at Hobart and I wanted to follow. Is this something relevant to your work?
I think so. It’s tough to say. For a long time I didn’t want my gender to be relevant to my work, because I didn’t feel like what I was trying to convey was specific to being a woman. Some recent drawings of mine have felt extremely feminine though, and that’s after I shifted focus to making my work more personal. I’ve been happy creating these patterns and palettes, so if it’s perceived as feminine that’s fine with me. I would just say that the drawings are more so about my personality and my experience as a person, and being a woman artist is an extension of that.
Who are your models?
My models are typically my friends and family. I often take photos at my apartment, so I like to work with people I know and trust. The downside is that if I don’t feel that I’ve captured their likeness, I feel a pang of guilt – the drawings don’t rely on it to convey its meaning, but I still want it to look like them!
Does traveling inspire you?
Yes! I love having the ability to travel. Just the act of getting away gives me an opportunity to step back from whatever I’m working on and just absorb. I also tend to sketch a lot more – either observing moments from life, or building on an existing sketch that I need to put more time into.
I have traveled twice now to Japan with my partner to visit his family, and the country is especially inspiring to me. I love the art and nature, the layering of city streets and country landscapes. There are plenty of photos I’ve taken that I’d love to utilize in future drawings.
Pictured Above: “Deep Within” by Haley Manchon. Photo Credit: Contributed.
What are you reading?
I’ve been hopping around a number of art books for inspiration. I just finished Beauty of Japanese Art and Design, From Rimpa and Ukiyo-e to Present Art, which I picked up while I was in Japan in November. I’ve also been studying a book of Vermeer and Mary Cassatt: Prints and Drawings from the Artist’s Studio. Mary Cassatt took inspiration from ukiyo-e and her resulting prints are my favorite works of hers. As I’m continuing to develop my dura-lar drawings, I want to combine elements of these books and apply them to my own process.
Artist Statement
Haley Manchon’s work reflects on her personal experience with shyness, exhibited through surrealistic portraiture and figurative drawings. Through her work, she explores the pervasive tendency to dwell on past events or succumb to anxiety about an unknown future, thereby disconnecting from the present moment. The patterns she designs are often embedded into the space, subtly conveying narrative with personified objects and symbols.
Dura-lar, as a semi-transparent substrate, allows for marks of the drawing to delicately emerge and recede. It is within this soft framework of marks that a floating, impermanent sense of self is presented.
Pictured Above: “Playing the Part” by artist Haley Manchon. Photo Credit: Contributed.
Artist’s Bio:
Haley Manchon’s work reflects on her personal experience with shyness, exhibited through surrealistic portraiture and figurative drawings. Through her work, she explores the pervasive tendency to dwell on past events or succumb to anxiety about an unknown future, thereby disconnecting from the present moment. The patterns she designs are often embedded into the space, subtly conveying narrative with personified objects and symbols.
Dura-lar, as a semi-transparent substrate, allows for marks of the drawing to delicately emerge and recede. It is within this soft framework of marks that a floating, impermanent sense of self is presented.
For more information on Haley Manchon & to view more of her work, visit: https://www.haleymanchon.com/about
