Meet Haley Schildgen

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?

At seven years old, I remember drawing a picture with dried out Crayola markers, taking the drawing to my mom and asking her to send it to the local museum so they could hang it up. While that didn’t necessarily work out for me, this memory is the first time I felt art to my core. It continued through middle and high school and all the way to who am today, a 25-year-old struggling artist who is loving life regardless. I honestly don’t know where I would be without it. Art has become an everyday part of me. Through the decor in my room, the countless amounts of jewelry I have made, and even my cosplays and creations I wear to Southern California conventions. Art is here to stay.

Please tell us about your art.

There are many parts of my artistry. The Sea and Land.

The Sea:

I grew up visiting San Diego every summer of my life, and I have always felt connected to the sea. The deep blue hue of the deeps and the teals, greens, and turquoise of the coastline. So when I moved out here six years ago, I found my favorite snorkel spots and made it my goal to be out there as much as possible. But to my surprise, the amount of trash in our waters was overwhelming, and I had to do something about it, even if no one followed alongside me.

I started snorkeling to see the wildlife of our beaches, and soon enough found myself hunting down every single piece of trash in the water I could find.

Through the trash, however, I found treasure.

Toys washed away from the shores, fishing weights lost in the seaweed, and the most beautiful findings, sea glass. The ocean had taken our glass pollution, tumbled it in the surf, the sand, and smoothed and frosted it into beautiful pieces. I quickly realized I had more sea glass than I knew how to deal with, but with hyperactive artistic mind I had, I was able to find a solution, and created an entire business called Salvaged San Diego; a small shop run by me, dedicated to making jewelry and works of art from what I find in our waters, and promoting the desperate need for cleaner oceans.

The Land:

To contradict the sea, I create a lot of art for my “self-expression” and other people as well. I cosplay (meaning costume-play) in which I bring to life the costumes of video games, comic books, movies, and anime characters, to show off during conventions all over Southern California. Besides a childhood filled with costumes consistently, the cosplay kick-started when I first moved to San Diego and has continued on to now, with about a costume a month being created by hand – this can include armor, props, clothing, wigs, and makeup.

And for other people — mainly the University City Community, I took part in a beautification project in which I hand-painted designs over two electrical boxes in the neighborhood, to bring more color to our streets.

During the month of October, I am also a Haunt actor at the Haunted Hotel of San Diego, in which I scare people while wearing full-face horror makeup.

Given everything that is going on in the world today, do you think the role of artists has changed? How do local, national, or international events and issues affect your art?

Of course, as a struggling artist, you don’t want to dig yourself a hole, but I have always gone with, “Do what makes you happy.” If you truly love something like art and it is a part of you, don’t ever let yourself stray away from it. Pick up extra side jobs, help neighbors out, clean cars, sell that little extra clutter lying around and make art happen.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
For Salvaged San Diego

Instagram and Facebook: @Salvagedsandiego

Etsy: www.etsy.com/Salavgedsandiego

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKz77HLmisZt7bl79aztt4g

Personal account with cosplay builds and progress:

@italiagirl411