Hayley Axelrad / Woman in a Green Chair

Hayley Axelrad is a contemporary oil painter whose work transports viewers into hedonistic, often absurd worlds that challenge the myths surrounding success, luxury, and desire. Axelrad holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from McGill University and has a background in fashion styling. She studied classical realism at the Academy of Realist Art in Toronto, where she developed a strong technical foundation before evolving her distinct, irreverent style.

Her paintings are a playful yet poignant exploration of the tension between outward perfection and inner discontent. Humor is a defining characteristic of her work, which remains decidedly unpretentious and light-hearted. Axelrad’s characters, frequently holding a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other, inhabit spaces where excess and vulnerability collide. Her thick, textured oil paintings are distinguished by bold colors and a matte, almost chalk-like finish.

Axelrad’s work has been exhibited in Toronto, New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, and has been featured in Elle Decor and The Globe and Mail.

This piece is presented as part of our International Women's Day Exhibition, After You: The Broken Telephone Collection, running from March 6th to 8th. Over a year in the making, the Broken Telephone Collection began with one artist working from a reference photograph; each subsequent artist created a piece inspired by the one before her, and so on, and so forth.

Each acquisition from this collection will include a complimentary 11" x 8.5" print of the reference piece that precedes it. The inspiration piece for this artwork is Maxine McCrann, Lemons on The Table. Please note, all artworks will be shipped after the exhibition has concluded.