Meet the Artist.

Hello!

Hayley is a colour-loving multidisciplinary Australian artist & educator dedicated to fostering joy, connection, and creative empowerment through vibrant abstraction.

Drawing from her lived experience, she is passionate about the healing power of creative practice and art’s role in supporting emotional wellbeing.

MY JOURNEY

  • JOY

    Hayley creates with joy, for joy! Her style if bright, colourful, playful & uplifting.

  • INSPIRATION

    INSPIRATION

    Inspiration exists everywhere – in nature, community, colour! Hayley works intuitively, guided by curiosity and wonder.

  • CONNECTION

    Hayley inspires connection! She brings people together through shared creativity.

  • SUSTAINABILITY

    Hayley creates mindfully, respecting the planet through sustainable materials & processes.

  • CREATIVITY

    Hayley believes creativity is limitless and lives within us all. Her practice explores, challenges, and awakens

“Creating is my way to feel, connect, and be present. Art is my lifeline, and I share it in the hope it might help others find theirs.”

— Hayley Stanich

Approach.

Working across painting, textiles, installation, Hayley’s creative practice is an evolving journey driven by imagination, curiosity, and wonder!

Her compositions balance intuitive expression with thoughtful structure, often drawing from personal memories, community narratives, and the interplay between our internal and external landscapes.

    • Vibrant, energetic compositions full of colour and movement.

    • Playful layering of shapes, textures, and patterns.

    • Invites imagination, emotional connection, and interpretation.

    • Soft, layered colour and intricate patterns.

    • Detailed, meditative paintings that invite quiet reflection.

    • Encourages mindfulness, curiosity, and imagination.

    • Textural weavings and sculptural forms with bold colours and dynamic patterns.

    • Invites tactile exploration and emotional connection.

    • Immersive, three-dimensional experiences.

    • Participatory installations shaped by community involvement

    • Multi-sensory experiences that invite curiosity & play

    • Creates moments of connection and collective expression

  • Hayley loves experimenting, using materials as inspiration strikes, and letting her practice evolve in unexpected ways. Just as she resists limiting her imagination, she struggles to confine her work to one medium.

Inspiration.

“Creativity lives both around us and within us all. Every moment carries creative potential when we choose to see it” ~ Hayley

Hayley’s inspiration comes from the beauty of living in a “Creative Universe” – which she views as a work of art itself, filled with masterpieces of rivers, oceans, mountains, stars, clouds, flowers, animals, and people.

Through her art, Hayley encourages viewers’ to rediscover their creative potential, think imaginatively, and find harmony between inner reflection and outer experience.

Hayley’s Journey.

Art has been Hayley’s anchor through life’s ups and downs. Her work reflects a journey of healing, curiosity, and the joy of self-expression.

  • Hayley has always been a colourful kid—drawn to bright paints, bold patterns, and turning!

    It wasn’t until she faced her own mental health challenges that she discovered the deeper, therapeutic power of creativity. Art became her way to process emotions, explore herself, and find calm in the chaos.

  • Smilefully Art was born from Hayley’s passion to make creativity (and it’s uplifting benefits) accessible to all!'

    Her practice is ever-evolving, fuelled by curiosity and creative exchange. Through workshops, community projects, and collaborations with other artists, she finds fresh inspirations that guide her work in new directions.

  • Hayley is currently exploring vibrant abstract works that foster hopefulness, happiness, & wellbeing!

    She’s experimenting with mixed media, recycled materials, and interactive projects that invite others to take part in the creative process.

    Explore Hayley’s portfolio here :)