Hayley Barker
Photo by Stephanie Noritz for W Mag
Where were you raised? Has the landscape of that place influenced your work in any way?
I was raised mostly in Salem, Oregon.
Absolutely!! The landscape of my childhood was trees and green, and big skies. Such a huge variety of plants. I have always loved exploring nature, especially the nature of any given neighborhood I’ve lived in.
Do you collect anything?
Rocks, crystals. I have always collected rocks, from when I was a tiny kid. I used to love looking through gravel parking lots to find the rocks with the most beautiful colors.
What was the last thing that you fell in love with?
Rachel Kushner’s writing.
What do you love most about yourself?
I am resilient.
What is your favorite smell? How does it make you feel? Or what memory does it bring you toward?
Spring in my neighborhood. I love how all the fresh green things and flowers smell. It smells like regeneration, which feels incredibly hopeful. I love the cycles of nature. They help me feel grounded and connected to source.
Photo by Stephanie Noritz for W Mag
How do you recharge your creative battery?
Rest. Saunas. Swimming. Cheesy TV. Time with my sweetheart. Cuddling with my three cats. Looking at art out in the world.
What book are you reading?
Agua Viva by Clarice Lispector
Who are your role models?
I am in a recovery community so I look to those who have been sober longer than I have to show me the way. My sponsor inspires me to accept my foibles, my humanity, on a daily basis. They help me to see how satisfying it is to live with humility and integrity.
If you could change one thing about our world, what would it be? Is there an individual or an organization doing work in this area that you want us to know about?
If I could change one thing it would be to end capitalism’s destruction of the planet.
I love the California Wildlife Center in Calabasas, CA.
They help to heal animals that have been injured in the greater LA area.
If I was not afraid, I would…
Love myself unconditionally.
All photos courtesy of Hayley Barker
