About

Hi All!

My name is Halee, but my friends call me Hales. I am a freelance illustrator, pattern designer, and photographer with a background in the culinary arts. In 2008, I earned a certificate in Pastry and Baking from Le Cordon Bleu in Austin, TX. I then spent the next 14 years baking tasty treats in various kitchens across the United States. However, that chapter of my life is now behind me. For my second act, I’ll be taking on the world of art.  

In 2014, I stumbled upon surface pattern design and quickly became captivated. I've always had a passion for the arts (it's the part of pastry I loved the most), and the thought of creating my own textiles was thrilling. Thus, I worked as a pastry chef during the day and pursued pattern design at night.

In 2021, my wife was stationed in Maryland, and I had the opportunity to attend college to pursue a career in art. I finally had my chance to explore other mediums and, honestly, buy school supplies.

I’m in my final semester at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), and the work I enjoy making is whimsical, a little cheeky, and speckled with twists that explore the gray areas of morality. My education has made me passionate about blending traditional and digital techniques, incorporating hand-drawn elements, watercolor textures, and other analog media into my digital workflow to create dynamic illustrations and patterns. My work is largely influenced by art movements like Art Nouveau and Mid-Century Modern and artists like Mary Blair, Beatrix Potter, and Rose O’Neill.

I dream of the day when illustration and pattern design are my main squeeze and photography is my side hustle. But really, as long as I am creating, I know I will be happy.