Hi, I'm Kjersten Anna Hayes, Paper Artist and Illustrator.
I combine handmade papers (made by me), painted papers (painted by me) and photos (taken by me) to create my cut-paper collage illustrations.
I approach my collages like puzzles: I piece together color, texture and shape until I find harmony.
Here's a video that shows a little about my process.
I've spent over a decade honing my collage craft by making and selling paper collage works - mostly handbound books - for the fine craft market.
Each handmade book is like a color or texture study, helping my medium become intuitive. Like any regular practice or studied discipline will do, it's settled skills into my bones, veins and heart.
Outside of making art I love eating with Bryce, my foodie husband; I love playing with Oscar, my 3-year-old son; and I love reading obsessively, collecting crafts and trying to prove to myself that the world is round by traveling whenever possible.
To that end, from March 2010 through (roughly) March 2012 I'll be living and making art in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The picture to the left is a photo of the view from my studio window.
I have dreamed of making illustrated books since I was a little girl. When I was in second grade, a book I made won an honor in the Urbana, Illinois, Young Author's contest. I got to go to a conference and meet lots of adult authors and illustrators. I thought it would be cool to be like them someday.
...And here I am!
For more about me, check out the links on the right. Or catch up with what I've been up to most recently on my blog. Thanks for visiting my site!
