Glass craftswoman

Chico’s Hayley Walton is a fast-rising art phenom. The 19-year-old has produced and directed two professional pop-music videos using established Chico musicians that have been viewed more than 1,200 times on YouTube. However, her newest successful venture is making stained-glass pieces of well-known images such as Jimi Hendrix. Currently, she’s working on a commissioned piece of the Sierra Nevada Brewery Co. logo. Hayley began posting her creations online in February and has had trouble keeping up with the demand. Check out her wares at www.facebook.com/hayley.walton.24 or contact her at rose_hayley@yahoo.com or 514-5909.

You’re pretty young for having two music videos under your belt.

I was actually only 17 when I started the videos under a project called Playing for Chico. I’ve always liked jamming with Chico musicians and thought it would be cool to video them covering inspirational songs. The first was the gospel hit “I’ll Fly Away,” and the second was the ’70s hit “Spirit in the Sky.” They were really fun, and I’m just starting a third one for the song, “I Can See Clearly Now.”

It sounds like your stained-glass work is really taking off.

Yes, I think I’ll be really well-known for it. I’ve gotten a backlog of orders since I started putting them on Facebook. I draw my own patterns, and so far I’ve sold six and given away 10. I’ve done things like a Bruce Springsteen album cover, swans, the Star Trek logo and Mr. Spock. I keep the copyrighted ones. The piece people like most is the Jimi Hendrix Experience band. It’s about 4 feet by 3 feet, and it’s pretty realistic.

Is stained glass your only occupation?

Right now, yes. I’ll be studying music at Butte College this fall. In the meantime the “Jimi” owners loved it so much they hired me to do a second Jimi. Another person saw it and hired me to do the Sierra Nevada Brewery logo for him. I sold Jimi for way under my costs, but the Sierra Nevada one will pay me by far the most so far. Oh, and the owners of the Harley Davidson shop on Mangrove want to hire me to do the Harley logo.

What are your future plans?

I might start a stained-glass business to sell my works as well as supplies for other artists. I’d like to do a Chico show in a couple of months. I need about 20 pieces, but I don’t have enough because I keep selling them or giving them away. I’d also like to move, maybe out of California. I’ve been in Chico all my life and I love to travel and see historic sites.