Coffee Talk: with Ali Hall
Over here on the Hazel Honey Club, it's all about connection and creativity, and I want to introduce you to one woman who is really bringing those two words into her everyday life and into her art career. She is truly an artist, and she's all about connecting with herself through art.
It’s time to get cozy!
Pour up a cup and let’s meet Ali Hall
I met Ali through a women's networking group called Herrolo- they posted about her speaking at an event as a panelist. I was surpringly free to attend that very event so I hit up my homegirl and we went.
During the panel discussion, I was drawn to Ali from the moment she started talking. She's an artist, I'm an artist, and you could hear that alignment in everything she said. The way she talked about healing through art, about not being afraid to get messy, it all just resonated. I remember thinking, “yes, this is exactly it.”
(from left to right)
Me, Danielle Foster (owner of The Wellness Affair), Ali Hall, Krystal Jugarap (founder of Herrolo), and April Leung
Afterwards, we stayed in touch through social, and I eventually had the lovely opportunity of photographing her for her brand, which we shot right in her art studio. Getting to step into that space (which we'll dive into a little later) was truly amazing. Where we create, is sacred and to be able to see and feel it in person had me in awe.
Ali is such a beautiful soul. Her energy is soft and vibrant at the same time, and she brings such a sense of joy into a room. It was fun and inspiring to be in her art space and see where she creates. She even has an espresso machine set up in there, along with her supplies and a speaker, and honestly, it's such just such a vibe. I got to see her in action for a portion of the photo shoot as well. She played her tunes and painted away ~
Although we no longer live in the same state, I wanted to have her on the blog so you could get to know her too. I sent Ali some questions, and I'm sharing her story below, in her own words.
Where it all started
Art has been part of Ali's life for as long as she can remember. Growing up, she was always drawing, painting, and creating, and it was simply how she processed the world. As she puts it,
“creativity always felt like home.”
As she got older, life became more focused on school and career (as it tends to do). She built a career leading product design teams in tech, and somewhere along the way, she stopped making art consistently, always telling herself she would come back to it someday. It’s interesting though, because even in her career she’s still an artist in some way. She may not be painting for these product teams but she’s desinging. She’s creating.
That “someday” Ali kept speaking about, finally came, after a difficult season in her life when painting became less about creating something beautiful and more about healing. What started as a way to reconnect with herself slowly grew into a full business, complete with gallery representation, live painting events, art fairs, and collectors bringing her work into their homes. Looking back, Ali says,
"I don't think I found art again. I think art found me exactly when I needed it."
Now, she has a career that’s expanded into so much more than just design. It’s one that brings her profound joy and a deep sense of self. It’s one that allows her light to come out and shine.
Stepping into her studio
This is the space I got to visit in person. For years, Ali dreamed of having her own studio, and eventually she and her husband built one in their backyard. It quickly became her favorite place in the world (and I totally see why), filled with natural light, music, stacks of canvases, and usually “a curious cat or two stopping by to supervise.” While she primarily paints there, she also finds inspiration wandering coastal trails and beaches, taking in the way light changes over the ocean. Those quiet moments of wonder are what she brings back into her paintings.
Take a virtual tour of her studio here.
Her art
Ali primarily creates acrylic paintings on canvas that blend abstract realism with contemporary landscape, inspired by the coast and those quiet moments where sky, water, and light start to blur together. She's more interested in painting what a place feels like than exactly what it looks like. While California's coastline has been her biggest inspiration, she has recently started expanding into new coastal landscapes, including a collection inspired by Seattle which really excites me! I love to witness her expansion. As I follow her on Instagram, I even get to see the workshops she host and retreats she’s apart of. It’s truly so beautiful and inspiring! I hope to one day attend a workshop of hers in person.
For anyone afraid to start
When I asked Ali what she would tell someone who has been longing to paint but is held back by perfectionism, she responded
"Your first painting doesn't have to be good. It just has to exist."
She explained that perfectionism convinces us we have to be great before we're allowed to begin, when really we become better because we begin. And if you've taken a break, she wants you to know your creativity hasn't disappeared, it's just been waiting for an invitation back.
Creativity beyond the canvas
For Ali, creativity extends far beyond the canvas. It shapes how she solves problems, leads design teams, styles her home, travels, connects with people, and notices beauty in everyday moments. She doesn't believe creativity is reserved for artists, she sees it as a mindset.
Her coffee order
Since this a Hazel Honey Club interview, I of course had to ask about her drink of choice. Ali is a coffee person through and through, and her go to is an iced lavender latte, something she reaches for whether she's heading into the studio or meeting a friend for coffee. In the evenings she winds down with herbal tea, and when it's time to celebrate, she loves a well-crafted mocktail. She doesn't drink alcohol, so she's always excited to discover creative, nonalcoholic drinks. The photo above is from her very own espresso machine, inside her studio.
Her studio playlist (sooo good)
Music completely changes the energy of her studio. Her go to artists includes ODESZA, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Ben Böhmer, Tycho, Hollow Coves, The Paper Kites, Petit Biscuit, and Bon Iver, music that feels atmospheric and expansive and helps her slow down and stay present while she paints. Her playlist really is a vibe. I heard it when we met at her studio and she’s also texted me a playlist before that I still tune into from time to time.
Work with Ali
If you want to bring one of Ali's pieces into your own home (highly recommend), you can find original paintings through her website, through galleries, or at the art fairs she exhibits at throughout the year. She also accepts select commissions for custom artwork inspired by meaningful places and memories, and offers live painting experiences for events.
You can find her work below:
Website: https://alihall.art
Instagram: @alihall.art
Leave room for wonder
Ali ended our conversation with something I want to live by. "Leave room for wonder." It's the title of one of her paintings (all the titles are heartfelt), but it's also become a reminder for how she wants to live. We don't have to have everything figured out. Sometimes the most meaningful opportunities, ideas, and moments appear when we slow down enough to notice them.
I'm so grateful to call Ali a friend, and even more grateful that even though we live in different states now, this connection remains. If her work speaks to you the way it speaks to me, go give her a follow and indulge for yourself.
