Hayley Welsh + Andy Faraday = Magic

Hayley Welsh is an amazing artist and illustrator who paints whimsical, surreal creatures on random objects she finds in her travels. Her partner, Andy Faraday, is a kickass photographer, who shoots mainly film, road-trips and adventure shots. They both love travelling and just completed an amazing road trip/art project across the US of A, in a converted school bus, known as the School Bus Project. It’s the coolest idea ever.

DSM caught up with one half of this creative adventurous duo to find out how they pulled it off!

Hayley and Andy picked up an old, yellow shorty school bus in San Francisco, converted it into a mobile home/studio, then travelled across to New York, then on through Texas and Miami. Andy shot their adventures in 3D and film, whilst Hayley collected objects along the way, painting them in the moving bus.

When they arrived in NYC they did a joint show of their work in the Lower East Side, showcasing Hayley’s paintings on the objects she found on the trip, and Andy’s 3D photography in those super cool vintage veiwmasters y’all might remember clicking through when you were a kid.

Their most recent collaboration has seen Hayley and Andy setting off on a road trip to Denmark in Western Australia. Andy took his cameras and a heap of film and they shot for days on end. Andy then developed his images, printed them, then Hayley hand-painted onto the final prints.

DSM: You and Andy seem to have been able to combine so many of your passions in the amazing shit you do; photography, painting, adventure, travel, videography, experimentation… Has it been an easy journey to build this world where you can do what you love, inspire others and create the beautiful things you do?

HW: We’ve always tried to do what we enjoy and are passionate about really.

‘We are both risk-takers, love doing new things and try to say ‘yes’ to life and opportunities that come our way.’

It is sometimes hard, but we try to surround ourselves with people who share our beliefs too. We get bored with the same old routine, and so travelling and creating our art is the perfect way for us to find inspiration in different places and inspire others to do what they love too.

DSM: Why do you choose to paint on found objects rather than a regular old canvas? How does the object influence the art?

HW: I always enjoyed painting on ‘things’ other than just paper or canvas. The unexpected results from painting on found objects, kind of reflects how I try to deal with life.

‘Making the most of the unexpected, rough or shiny surfaces, and seeing the positive in things others might have thrown away, is something I really enjoy doing, and I love the results too.’

DSM: The creatures you create are super cool. Have you always had an overactive imagination, seeing a world others maybe don’t?

HW: I do have quite an over active imagination. I was brought up on Beatrix Potter, The Muppets and Fraggle Rock, so fluffy, wide-eyed creatures kind of come naturally to me.

DSM: Fraggle Rock is the best. One of the best ever theme songs for a show too I reckon. What’s the next grand adventure plan for you guys?

HW: We’ve got a busy year ahead, including trips to London and Berlin early in the year, 3D installations across Australia, Burning Man in Nevada in August, then the release of our new book ‘School Bus Project’ in June. So keep your eyes peeled for the new book and street art popping up around your area. We’re just focusing on doing projects which make us both happy and inspiring others to do what they love too.

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To keep up with Hayley and Andy head to:

www.hayleywelsh.com

www.andyfaraday.com

www.schoolbusproject.com

and follow them on instagram, @hayleywelsh_art & @andy.faraday

Hayley will also be painting walls in Melbourne in March and Andy and Hayley also have a joint show in Perth, end of April 2015, so if you’re lucky enough to be in either city get along and check them out in real life!

AND check out Hayley’s video from the School Bus Project below!