Reagan Hayhurst
AQ is our series of hardcover catalogs celebrating extraordinary women artists. Available on Amazon. Visit the AQ Catalog Webpage to learn more.
Featured in AQ Volume IV: Reagan Hayhurst is a multidisciplinary artist creating conceptual jewelry and mixed media abstract art. With a background in sculpture and jewelry design, she blends metals and fibers into her paintings, crafting works rich in texture and movement. Her practice is deeply intuitive, exploring themes of renewal, curiosity, and personal growth.
Reagan has exhibited extensively across the East Coast in galleries and fine art shows, earning numerous awards for her creativity and craftsmanship. Working from her tree-shaded studio in Clarks Summit, PA, she continues to push the boundaries of her medium, incorporating innovative materials and techniques into her evolving practice.
www.reaganhayhurst.com
What inspired you to become an artist, and how did you decide to commit to this path?
From an early age, I found I could express myself through color and shape with a box of beloved crayons. I could create a sense of calm within myself. As I got older, I began to see the tapestry of myself through my art—how I was evolving and growing. Art became the most effective way for me to communicate the things I couldn’t express in any other way.
Color, texture, and form have had a profound physical impact on me. Art decided for me. Even when I stepped away from creating for a few years, the pull to return has always been magnetic.
Could you share the story or concept behind your recent work?
In my latest collections, "Review" and "Whisperings," I focused on letting go of old ideas and self-limiting beliefs to create new paths. These collections feature mixed media abstract paintings made with layers of paper, fibers, written words, shapes, pencils, crayons, and paint.
"Whisperings" is a smaller collection offering glimpses of the hidden aspects of myself yearning to be brought into the light. I see a connection to my environment and the people within it, recognizing how we influence each other culturally and socially—often without realizing it. There’s a rhythmic back-and-forth movement, akin to a dance or a struggle against restrictions, with both harsh/cold and gentle/nurturing aspects present.
"Rearview" is a series of paintings about releasing old patterns and thoughts to make way for growth and expansion.
"The view through the rearview mirror can sometimes be more expansive than looking at the horizon. Looking ahead can be daunting, but when we are fully open and moving forward, the landscape viewed through the rearview mirror can be even more grand."
What was the most challenging part of your path so far? How are you navigating this obstacle?
Releasing work as it is, in the place I am right now, is always challenging. I navigate through by being true in my process and journey. Remembering we all begin somewhere, it is a matter of taking the first steps that lead us to new places.
What role does experimentation and exploration play in your artistic practice?
I am driven by creative exploration and experimentation. My work involves a continuous process of construction and deconstruction. I enjoy building and creating, then reflecting on it for a while before taking it apart and rebuilding it again. There is so much to learn and grow from by observing our journey.
It’s important to understand what ignites our passion and calls to us, how our limitations can shape us, and how we can break free from those limiting beliefs.
Do you have any start or stop rituals before creating?
I've learned early on in my art practice to leave my workspace in a way that welcomes creativity. For me, this usually means tidying my space and reflecting on the day by taking notes.
I ask myself what worked and what didn’t in my practice, what ideas came up, and what I’m excited to start the next day. Then I leave myself breadcrumbs by laying out the tools, tubes of paint, and a rough sketch or a word for the next day’s start. It’s an invitation for inspiration to come and join me, an offering.
What message do you hope your art conveys to the world?
My aim with my art is to evoke curiosity and wonder. By cultivating curiosity, we can derive joy from the simplest everyday tasks. If we are kind and have a deep understanding of ourselves, we can then extend kindness and understanding to others, creating a gentler world.
I hope to inspire the viewer to perceive not only with their eyes but with their entire being. To pause and be present.
Share a mantra or favorite quote that keeps you going.
It’s a wonder to wonder. Our best inspiration comes from how we are within ourselves and how it resonates in the world around us.
"I found I could say things with color and shape that I couldn’t say any other way…things I had no words for." – Georgia O’Keeffe
