Life & Work with Bonnie Hayden of Culver City

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bonnie Hayden.

Bonnie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started creating art a looooong time ago when I was three years old thanks to my grandma who first taught me how to draw with pencil and pastels. Then we added on collage and she also taught me how to jewel just about everything in sight. Eventually, when I was sixteen I started painting murals in people’s homes and businesses and I did that for about ten years. It took me a while to realize that I was always painting things that other people wanted – I could never bring with me because they were on other people’s walls.

So, in my 20’s I started exploring what type of art I wanted to create for myself and I was inspired to paint animals, especially chickens, and to create bejeweled portraits of people’s favorite toys. I soon trademarked my chicken, “Ed the Chicken” and it before I knew it I was having some shows and sales and also doing some philanthropic fundraising with my work for places like Art Share Los Angeles.

Fast forward twenty years to the pandemic and I was having some struggles mentally, emotionally, and physically. I was a workaholic (still am) but I was also having problems with my heart and some challenging life circumstances. Being a lifelong artist, I knew that if I could do art every day for a year (which I had never done so consistently before), it would be very healing for me. I realized that I had to create a project and a structure so that I could reach this goal. I committed to completing one piece of art made of colorful, cotton pom poms each day, along with an accompanying story or biography for each “Pom”. I also sent the pictures of the daily Pom and its story to a group of friends to hold me accountable. I also made a travel kit so I could create the daily Pom no matter where I was – in hotels, the backs of cabs, restaurants, on the plane, etc.

After I made my first Pom, Aretha Angel, I knew that I was going to make 364 more and that the project would be a success. I knew it in my spirit. After about 30 days I could feel an amazing transformation and healing taking place both mentally and physically. Even if I had a stressful day, I ended the day making a positive, cheerful Pom, and keeping a promise to myself. I was proud of myself every day and my loved ones also greatly enjoyed receiving the Poms of the day. The Poms were helping me – which I expected – and they were also helping others – which I didn’t expect at all, and my life was taking a consistent, positive turn and that was a very beautiful experience.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road to Pom mastery has been very smooth and very bumpy! The smooth part was that my commitment to my project, Pom 365, and to myself never wavered. I successfully created one Pom a day for 365 days. Now that I’ve completed the Pom 365 project I continue to make Poms through my business, Behold The Pom, when I want to and the Pom Universe has expanded to include Pom jewelry (because people want to wear them), magnets, clips, Good Luck Pomigami Cranes, large Pom paintings, and even three Pom books, “Rick The Stick’s Life Changing Advice About Love and How to Be a Super Hot Lover”, “The Poma Sutra” and “The Adventures of Puff, the Pompliment Cat.” I also happily take on commissions to create Poms of people’s family members, pets, and favorite celebrities. We also have a Behold The Pom song and a short documentary film called “The Pomcumentary”. It is an 18-minute film about my story of how this project and the Pom Universe came to exist. I realized that to share my work I also needed to share myself and that has been intimidating – but I keep telling myself that if it helps people it’s worth the uncomfortable feeling.

I have tried to overcome some of my feeling uncomfortable about sharing my personal story by holding Pom crafting workshops at Behold The Pom Headquarters, Senior Centers, and we just had one for faculty and staff at Loyola Marymount University. I prefer for the art to be out in front – not me. But others helped me realize that sharing the story behind the art can really help people who might be struggling with their own challenges.

A more recent challenge was losing our Chief Wellness Officer, my soul-dog, Noodle. She was with me for eight years and for the entire Pom project. She helped me remember to take breaks, sit in the sun for a few minutes every day, go for a walk, and have some cuddle time. Noodle was consistently taking care of me and reminding me to take care of myself. When she became sick last year I was heart broken. I did everything I could to care for her including getting her a companion, a little 6-lb chihuahua named Milton who laid next to her when I was at work. When she died in September it was the most profound loss I have experienced. Not just for the sorrow of missing her, but for the gratitude for every minute with her – including the really hard times. I never regretted a single minute with her. She was my heart. So, it has been a journey to continue to do art – because art is my insides on the outside – without her and inspired by her. To honor Noodle, I started a scholarship fund through the Culver City Memorial Scholarship Fund called the “Noodle Pasta Hayden Memorial Scholarship Fund”. We give it out to graduates of Culver High who want to study to help animals. I continue to deepen and grow my relationship with Milton who is our new Chief Wellness Officer. Of course, I have “pommed” both Noodle and Milton and I love every picture and every memory.

Building this Pom empire takes time and I do sometimes find it challenging to find time to create. I am often doing more marketing and setting up events and partnerships than I am creating Poms. But I am still committed to my well-being and doing art is my meditation. I just created a whole line of Halloween Pom ornaments, brooches, and sculptures.

Building this Pom empire also takes a team (including angels) and many partnerships as well since we have pop up shops with places like Michael Kors, and beautiful boutiques on Montana Avenue – Our next one is at Citron from November 11th – 25th where I will be the Artist in Residence and the Poms for sale will be there enhancing the lovely clothing. As some very smart folks say, the only thing you can control is yourself (and even that is pretty hard sometimes). So while working with others to do all of the marketing and to promote and co-promote, fulfill the orders, and have events has very rewarding teamwork moments, it can also be frustrating since, as a Type-A lawyer in addition to being an artist, I like to be in control. It’s been an exercise in trust and in letting go. I have also met incredible people and now, several years in, I have a wonderful team in place!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am now known as the “Pom Lady” – but my official title at Behold The Pom is “Pom Pilot”. I am the Chief Pom Creator! I’m also known for making beautiful bejeweled hummingbird paintings (sans Poms) and for being the creator of Ed the Chicken. This year will also be our 4th year sponsoring the BT5K Walk for the American Brain Tumor Association and so we have people – from kids to parents to grandparents – who come to our tent to make Poms to add to their prior year’s collection. They certainly know me as the Pom Pilot at this wonderful event. The Walk is happening on Saturday, November 7th at 8am at Crescent Park in Santa Monica. We partner with the American Brain Tumor Association because making Poms stimulates and heals the brain. World-renowned Pom neuroscientist, Dr. Sara Bellum, will be co-hosting the Behold The Pom tent there with me.

Another wonderful thing is that I can “Pom” just about anyone or anything. So in the Pom Universe Bon Jovi is “Pom Jovi”, Barack Obama is “Barack Opoma”, Picasso is “Pomcasso”, and an amoeba is a “Pomeba”. There are other artists who create with Poms, but I don’t know of any who also create a story with each Pom creature they create. Writing the stories has been as fulfilling as creating the Poms because I research every one of them – they are all based on real-life people and things. I have given great thought to who and what to include in the Pom Universe – and who and what not to include. If you were creating a whole universe who and what would you create?

One great thing about Behold The Pom is that the Poms are for adults. A lot of people think that since the Poms are cute that they are automatically for kids. Some of them, like “Remi the Raindrop”, are certainly fun for kids. But some of them, like “Pom McEnroe”, are definitely for adults. Behold The Pom reminds adults to play and that we are never too old to enjoy creating with color and sparkles.

I think another thing that sets me apart is that I created art every day for 365 days – it’s kind of an amazing thing if you really think about it and people are impressed at my commitment, but better than that, they are inspired! It is a beautiful thing to keep a promise to one’s self every single day. Although I don’t make Poms every day anymore, I work on Behold The Pom every day and it is still abundantly fulfilling to create and spread joy through color, texture, art, warmth, and humor.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I am born and raised in Los Angeles and I love it. We have EVERYTHING someone could ever want – incredible museums, food, culture, access to the most cutting edge beauty, technology, an amazing art community, music scene, fancy places, taco trucks, and everything in between – and (usually) great weather to go with all of the great things happening here. All of this is counterbalanced by the traffic and the homeless crisis. I’m not sure how to fix these huge issues, but I cannot imagine living anywhere else – and I have lived other places – New York, Albuquerque, and Denver – and I’m grateful to be in LA.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.beholdthepom.com
• Instagram: @beholdthepom
• Facebook: Behold The Pom
• LinkedIn: Behold The Pom
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeholdThePom
• Other: https://www.linktr.ee/beholdthepom

Image Credits
Alex Smith, Jason Reid, Bonnie Harris Hayden.