Hailey East is a Kansas born illustrative artist whose use of strategic linework and color seeks to create a narrative focusing on subtle expression and composition to show a moment in time. Her art style is inspired by Japanese comic books, children’s book illustrations from the 1960s to the 1990s and the simplicity of block printing. East works in ink, graphite, coloring pencil, markers and paint developed during her bachelor of science years at Emporia State University. She’s working on developing graphic novels and childrens books.

You can find her on Instagram.

Fairy tales were meant as cautionary stories for children and yet, as adults we still feel connected and find meaning in them. Many are hundreds of years old and yet are relevant today. The why I find is not only in the lessons they tell but the human connection to how they make us feel. Fairy tales are stories that everyone universally can connect to, which is the subject of my show. When asked how best to describe my art style a friend once called it emotional. Only her exact words were ‘Emo’, which if you grew up in the 2000’s was I either a badge of honor or a derisive insult. However, to call someone in their 30s emo kind of smarts, as it brings to mind a sulky teen feeling sorry for themself. Still, I cannot deny the accuracy of this claim; I strive to not only to capture emotion and connect with my viewer with my art but also to tell a story. Growing up I had trouble reading but found my way around it by looking at the pictures. A picture can often replace a thousand words if it is done well enough. Back then, while there was much I didn’t understand, it amazes me now how much I knew based off the pictures alone. That is what I strive for with my own art: to communicate to the viewer not with the ears but by the eyes and with that, through the soul.