Hayley Wells

We are thrilled to say that you can now preorder a copy of our brand-new picture book, SUPERHEROES IN THE PARK! Words by @ian.eagleton Illustrations by @hwillustrator Published by @otterbarrybooks #picturebooks #kidsbooks #childrensbookstagram

The wonderful @hwillustrator has written us an excellent blog surrounding zines, their creation, and their importance in our increasingly digital world. 📖 Check it out now at the link in our bio 🔗 #zines #zinemaking

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of painting the windows at @thechickenandfrog bookshop in Brentwood. Specialist children’s bookshops are so important for helping kids to embrace a love of reading and Natasha has created a beautiful, welcoming space at Chicken and Frog. It’s well worth a visit if you’re in the Essex area! 🌈 Window paintings are such a fun way to promote books around publication dates (although we’re a bit early with this one due to some window-based-logistics…). I thought it would be interesting to share a bit of the process behind this piece for Superheroes In The Park because I love how it turned out! Window paintings can bring so much joy to a shop window as the light shines through – I think the vibrant colours on this one look really cool both inside and out. 🌈 Superheroes In The Park by @ian.eagleton will be out with @otterbarrybooks on 11th June. Pre-order your copy at @thechickenandfrog , your local indie bookshop, or online through the link in my bio.

Concrete Canvas: Reimagined, Street Party Zine Making Workshops SPARK! has thoroughly enjoyed working with local artists Jennifer Flint (@originalcreativework ) and Elaine Tribley (@elainetribley ), who they commissioned to run a fun series of creative workshops to help shape their celebrations at the Concrete Canvas Street Party celebrations, which includes: ✂ A Zine-Making Workshop with Hayley Wells Zone out with some chilled zine making! Join Hayley Wells (@hwillustrator ) to create zines inspired by the "Where Is Home", Interactive Mural opposite Artists At The Meadows. Hayley is an Essex-based illustrator with an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from Cambridge School of Art. Their books have been shortlisted for the World Illustration Awards, featured on television, and published worldwide. They are also a member of Artists at the Meadows, where they run a free, semi-regular Zine Club to encourage creativity in a safe and inclusive environment, to continue building your newly learned skills. 🗓 Saturday 16th May 📍Meadows Shopping Centre, CM2 6FD ⌚ 11am - 3pm 🎟️ Free for all ages, no experience necessary 🌍 Take part in the Interactive Mural – “Where Is Home?” Where is home for you? …in Essex? …elsewhere in the UK? …or across the other side of our world. Pop into Artists at the Meadows and collect a sticker to add to the mural of maps created by Jennifer Flint (@originalcreativework ) and Elaine Tribley (@elainetribley ), opposite the gallery. 🗓 Until Sunday 17th May 📍@shopthemeadows , 42-47 High St, CM2 6FD ⌚ Open daily: 9am - 5:30pm (Mon-Fri), 9am - 6pm (Sat), 10:30am - 4:30pm (Sun) 🔵 Collect your stickers from @artistsatthemeadows : 9:30am - 4pm (Mon-Sat), 10am - 4pm (Sun) Concrete Canvas: Reimagined is produced by Culture Chelmsford and SPARK!, in collaboration with @chelmsfordforyou & @concretecanvaschelmsford , funded by @aceagrams @angliaruskin , @chelmscouncil , @chelmsfordcol , @chelmsfordforyou , Mister Gees Foundation, Great Baddow Parish Council and sponsored by @alfreshcodave , @thirst.drinks.syndicate , @communityrepaint and @wickes .

Where to find me this month! ✨ This Sunday I’ll be heading in to London for @craftyfoxmarket at the British Library and I’ll be bringing all my bookish things with me – expect signed copies of my children’s books, book-loving stickers, and new promotional bookmarks from @print.work which look so so nice (thank you Print.Work for always delivering on my sustainable print needs 🥹). ✨ Then, on Saturday 16th May you can find me in Chelmsford running drop-in zine workshops as part of the @concretecanvaschelmsford street party. There are loads of other cool things happening including live painting, fresh new street art, and a local art market so you can make a creative day of it! ✨ Saturday 23rd May sees the return of Zine Club at @artistsatthemeadows - 10am-12pm, free and open to all ages. Come make zines with me and support your local art gallery! ✨ Then I’ll be heading to Norwich on Sunday 24th May for the City of Literature Publishing Fair at @writerscentre . I’m super excited for this one because the National Centre for Writing is a fab organisation and they’ll be bringing together writers, artists, publishers and zine-makers for a full day of book themed fun. ✨ Will I survive my slightly overloaded calendar? Who knows! Will my heart be full of love for books, zines and libraries by the end of it? Absolutely. Let me know in the comments if you’re coming along to any of these and I’ll make sure to say hello 👋

Here’s one of my entries for the @worldillustrationawards #WIA2026. This year, I used the competition as an excuse to make a personal project I’ve been thinking about for a while: a speculative advert that combines my favourite snack with my favourite sport. 🛼 Every Sunday I train with @essex_roller_derby and it’s a pretty intensive three hours. So when it comes to our 11am snack break, I am always fuelled by @eattrek protein bars because they’re healthy, filling and vegan. It’s some serious brand loyalty. 🛼 I wanted the illustration to appeal to a young, diverse audience, reflecting the edgy, DIY culture of roller derby. I’m a firm believer that sport should be fun and inclusive, so I wanted the ad to feel like that too. 🛼 This illustration is by no means officially affiliated with @eattrek but if they’d like a real brand partnership or to sponsor @essex_roller_derby then that would be super cool. Just saying 👀 🛼 The #WorldIllustrationAwards are presented by the @TheAOI in partnership with @DirIllustration . Good luck to everyone who’s entered this year! And ✨bonne chance✨ to my team mates at Essex playing a French tournament this weekend! I don’t have FOMO at all 😤😜

I thought I’d share this BEAUTIFUL illustration by @hwillustrator from our new picture book SUPERHEROES IN THE PARK. The story follows a little boy and his two dads as they navigate an action-packed, chaotic, fun day at the park. I think Hayley has imbued the artwork with such warmth and kindness and I think this illustration is just STUNNING! To see a family like mine represented like this in a children’s book is really special for me. The book is published by @otterbarrybooks and you can preorder it now! #gaydads #twodads #lgbtfamily

Why I love using collage (as an autistic illustrator) 👇 ✂️ I love drawing and I’m pretty good at it (this is not a brag, it’s just my job!). But I do often find it hard to do, especially if I’m feeling tired or overwhelmed. Drawing uses lots of brain power and requires a particular kind of concentration that, as an autistic-and-possibly-also-ADHD-person, I can’t always seem to activate. ✂️ Collage, on the other hand, feels like it uses an entirely different part of my brain. It feels playful, fun, and low-pressure because it’s so easy to move things around or paste over bits that don’t quite work. ✂️ A major barrier to my workflow is overwhelm. If a project *seems* enormous or massively detailed, I will often avoid getting started because I either can’t work out what the first steps are, or I worry that I will “get it wrong”. With collage, I can reduce these feelings because I have the flexibility to work on different bits at different times and can test alternative options before committing. ✂️ I am also less likely to overwork things because the illustrations come together relatively quickly, and cutting with scissors forces me to let go of some of my perfectionist tendencies. The result is that my artwork feels more energetic and more handmade - which is exactly what I’m searching for in the battle against AI. ✂️ Does this resonate with your creative practice? What processes help you tackle overwhelm or perfectionism? ✂️ #Collage #AutisticArtist #AuDHD

Here’s a sneak peek of what I’ll be bringing to @hiveartistsstudios Hive Zine Fair on Saturday! Lots of zines, of course, but also a few other bits and bobs that I’ve been exploring recently… ✂️ You can join me for a free zine-making workshop between 2:30-3:30pm - all materials provided and all ages / abilities welcome ☺️ ✂️ There will be loads of cool things happening throughout the day including workshops with @originalcreativework @katie.in.colour and @sketchface_chelmsford as well as live portraits by @deathbycatboy and printing demos by @scarletttcarol . And a whole load of artists, writers and zine-makers sharing all sorts of creative goodness. ✂️ The Hive Zine Fair runs from 11am-4pm at @patchplaces Chelmsford and is free to attend. Support your local art scene and swing by for a fun day out! ✂️ Who’s coming? What are you most excited about? ✂️ #Zines #UKZineEvents #WhatsOnChelmsford

I am SUPER excited to reveal the cover of my latest picture book… ✨ Superheroes In The Park, written by the wonderful @ian.eagleton and published by @otterbarrybooks , follows a family as they navigate exciting playtime adventures, all while staying safe and supported. Ian’s text is warm, empathetic and full of imagination so it was a real joy to illustrate all the fun details throughout. ✨ Thank you so much to the team at @otterbarrybooks for bringing this sweet and special book into the world. I can’t wait to share more soon! ✨ Superheroes In The Park is out on 11th June, in time for both Pride month and Father’s Day. Pre-order your copy via the link in my bio. ✨ #SuperheroesInThePark #CoverReveal #PictureBook #BookstagramUK

Today is the last day of @bolognachildrensbookfair . Every year I’m a bit sad that I haven’t ever been in person as it feels like a rite of passage for people in the children’s book industry. And I definitely get a bit of fomo when I see all the beautiful photos of the fair, architecture and food in my feed. Maybe next year will be the one for me?! 🤞 📕 Thankfully, my lovely publishers and agent will have been sharing my portfolio and new picture books at the fair on my behalf, which will hopefully lead to some exciting new things… So even though I’m not there in person, it’s nice to know my illustrations will have had a little trip to Bologna. 📕 For now, please enjoy this portfolio piece I made earlier in the year, inspired by the National Year of Reading. This was part of my entry for the @paperbird_books illustration exhibition and award which I’m delighted to say I was longlisted for! All of the long- and shortlisted entries will be exhibited online, with the winner announced on 8th May. I can’t wait to see all the beautiful entries together. And good luck to everyone in the running! 📕 #BolognaChildrensBookFair #BCBF26 #ChildrensIllustration #NationalYearOfReading

Here’s what I learnt from a weekend of art markets with @dancingponyevents and @craftyfoxmarket ✨No two markets are the same ✨ I had different experiences both days in terms of sales, conversations, venues and organisers - not better or worse, just different! There are lots of factors that can affect market days and many are beyond your control, but that isn’t necessarily a reflection on you, your work or the market. I make the most of events by using them as a fun opportunity to showcase my work, meet other makers, and get some new inspiration outside of my studio. ✨Little tweaks can make a big difference✨ Last week I spent some time making clear and consistent price labels, QR codes, and “look inside” signs. This small change made my whole setup feel more professional and encouraged people to engage with my products, especially my sketchbook zines which really benefit from flicking through. ✨People love stickers! ✨ Easily my best sellers this weekend, people seem to like being able to collect a few different designs rather than committing to one larger print. My plastic-free stickers from @print.work were super popular and I think they look really cute all together in their matching packaging! What tips do you have for art markets? #ArtMarkets #ArtistTips #Stickers