Today we’d like to introduce you to Haley Popp.
Haley, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’ve been an artist since I could pick up a crayon. I have dabbled in pottery, cross stitching, acrylics, pastels, sewing, sculpting, oil on canvas, good, old fashioned pencil on paper and everything in between. I have always enjoyed touching all mediums so it was inevitable that food would become the newest and greatest means for me to create original works of art. After graduating from Kansas State University with a degree in Apparel and Textiles, I landed a job working as an assistant designer for a major clothing label in the Dallas area. I won’t bore you with the details, but the job sucked ass and I felt trapped behind a computer screen, mocking up 2d sketches of bullshit tees, wasting my life away. Needless to say, I quit and shortly after, freelanced from home while painting and sculpting in my spare time. My husband and I saw this as the perfect opportunity to start our fam bam, so we gave it a go and had our first babe, Roman. When our son was nearing his first birthday, I decided I was going to make it a tradition to create amazing cakes for our kids.
I’d never looked at food as art, until that day, and man was I hooked. I was able to sketch out the cake design, sculpt different elements with fondant, paint on the cake with food gel, and bake the most delicious chocolate sponge I’d ever had. I had an epiphany. I successfully created an edible piece of art, incorporating all of the skills I’d acquired throughout the years. I finally found my calling. In that moment, I became a cake artist. Now, I’m old school. There was no YouTube, no Insta, no Facebook, and certainly no tutorials of any kind for me to watch and mimic. I was a newborn baby in the world of cake and had to rely on experimentation and exploration to gain momentum and skill. I read every book I could get my hands on that pertained to the science of baking, and relied heavily on my art tools to figure out new techniques that would set my cakes apart. For an entire decade, I raised our three babies while making cakes for friends and family with my spare time, getting better and better with each attempt. I learned so much in those ten years and developed my own unique style. Once the kids all started school full time, I took my abilities to a few bakeries that ended up treating me like garbage, and ultimately, held me back from reaching my full potential. So, I had the brilliant idea to just start my own bakery, from home. Operating under Texas Cottage Law, I created Hive Bakery.
Because I had no one to answer to, there were no boundaries, no guidelines, no restrictions. I only took orders that challenged me, and refused to copy other people’s work or regurgitate Pinterest cakes. I worked so hard for so many years to build my style and I wasn’t about to lose that. After making cakes from home for about two years, Hive Bakery blew up. I had over 10k followers on Facebook, had been published in Cake Masters Magazine several times, earned a spot with the elite group called Satin Ice Artists of Excellence, was published on American Cake Decorators social media multiple times, and was contacted by Food Network for several television shows. I’d purchased all of the equipment I needed for a bakery and it was all invading my home life so my husband and I made the decision to do it. We found the most kickass spot, signed the lease, and prepared for buildout and Hive Bakery’s Grand Opening. The day finally came and we had a line out the door, around the building, and an hour wait to get in. It took my breath away. We’ve been busy ever since and sell out before closing damn near every day. The phone has been ringing off the hook and it’s everything we’d hoped for and more. Hive Bakery took a shit load of hard work and determination, but we saw it through. Now were living the dream.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I create one of a kind, custom cakes and desserts from scratch. I use inventive techniques and materials that set my cakes apart, and I have an intense eye for detail that keeps my shit on point. My OCD serves me well in cake world, aiding me in creating clean lines, meticulous sculpting work, and absolute perfection. I never copy other people’s work and won’t recreate any of my own cakes. Every client receives an original work of art that has never existed. As an artist, it’s imperative that I remain true to my roots. I don’t believe in compromising my integrity just to make a buck. Each cake is a true masterpiece and deserves that level of attention. I want people to know when I sit down with my sketch pad and begin designing these cakes, they’re so much more than dessert. They’re moments. I have been given the privilege of helping folks create beautiful memories. We’re there for the weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers, graduations, and everything in between. I give my clients a lasting memory and to be even just a small part of these momentous events reiterates why I love my job so much. Hive Bakery helps people hold on to these flashes of happiness.
Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
I personally feel like cake artists are in a really great spot right now. People are always looking for a reason to buy a cake. There are home cakers, grocery store cakers, store front cakers and everything in between. There are different markets for different clients and all of us find our niche. Cake art is now taken more seriously due to all of the shows on Food Network and its exposure to a wider audience. Cake art is mainstream. I think it’s much easier today for people to make a living creating cakes than ten years ago when I began. I’d love to see more cake artists in Dallas create groups where we can all get together, swap stories, bitch about this, celebrate that, and just come together as a cake community. Cakers got to stick together!
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
We post all of our work on Facebook and Instagram. We also have a website. You can support us by liking and following our pages.
www.facebook.com/hivebakery
www.Instagram.com/hivebakery
www.hivebakerytx.com
Contact Info:
- Address: Hive Bakery 360 Parker Square
Flower Mound, TX 75028 - Website: www.hivebakerytx.com
- Phone: 9723167625
- Email: haley@hivebakerytx.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/hivebakery
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/hivebakery
Image Credit:
Mia Silvertooth of Stinkin Sweet Photography.
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
