This week we chat with artist and Croydon resident Sara Hayfa, to find out more about her new exhibition ‘The Hidden Collection’ that’s been hidden away for more than a decade, and is now open for all to see at Turf Projects until 27 June.

Croydonist: For readers who haven’t encountered your work before, can you tell us a little about yourself and your artistic practice?

Sara: I’m a Moroccan intuitive and mixed-media artist. My journey with art began in my childhood, where I have always been deeply fascinated by drawing and painting. Alongside my lifelong passion for the arts, I also pursued higher education at university, earning my Master’s degree in Management, Audit, and Control in Morocco.

While navigating that structured academic path, I continued to practise and study my art. Over the years, through my own experiences and growth, I discovered that art is so much more than just a visual medium or something beautiful to hang on a wall. I realised that art is a powerful method of healing and holds a profound therapeutic aspect.

Currently, I am a student training to become a Master Practitioner of Holistic Art Therapy, while dedicating all of my time to being a full-time artist. Today, my practice is a unique blend of fine art and therapy. As an intuitive artist, I work with mixed media and acrylics, letting the creative process guide me naturally rather than sticking to a rigid plan. I use my art to explore the challenges of life, treating complex problems and deeply personal subjects through a creative lens to share a message of love, peace, and resilience.

Croydonist: The artworks in this exhibition were created in Morocco in 2014. What first inspired you to work with eggshells as an artistic medium?

Sara: What inspired me in Morocco was the summertime in 2014. In the evenings, we would spend time on the open rooftop of our home in Sidi Slimane. I loved to lay down up there, looking up at the sky and the stars, it was just so beautiful, calming, and relaxing. As you may know, the skies in Morocco are incredibly clear. You can see this deep, dark blue at night filled with stars. That is exactly where I found my inspiration. I knew craft with eggshells existed so I believed that eggshells would be amazing to symbolise the sky and the beauty of space.

Croydonist: Eggshells are both delicate and unconventional. What challenges – and opportunities – does working with them present?

Sara: Working with eggshells was a really delicate and interesting experience. When I did my first piece, the big one, the process felt truly meditative for me. After finishing that one, I wanted to create more. I grew up in a small town in Morocco called Sidi Slimane, where we didn’t have art supply shops, so there was no way to simply buy a canvas. I had to make everything from scratch.

I went to a local wood shop and asked them to build frames for me so I could keep creating. It took me about three months to complete the collection because I kept coming back to it; I spent my entire summer holiday working with these eggshells. Because they are so delicate, especially the tiny pieces, I had to use a pin to move and position them. Sometimes I would get tired and need a break, but the overall process was so meditative. I felt like all my thoughts would just quiet down, and I wasn’t thinking about anything else I was simply living in the present moment and enjoying the ‘now.’ Even when I felt exhausted, I always found myself drawn back to the eggshells. The main challenge was definitely moving those small pieces around the surface and sticking them in the exact right place, but the final result was beautiful. I used many different eggshells sourced straight from the farm, and I kept them in their natural colours.

Croydonist: These pieces have remained unseen for over ten years. What has it been like keeping them private for so long, and why does now feel like the right time to share them?

Sara: Three years ago, I moved here to the UK. Because I love art so much, I decided that I wanted to dedicate the rest of my life to it. This is where I feel truly comfortable, and I feel I have so much energy, so many thoughts, and so much that I can change through art. I was fortunate to find Turf Projects right here in Croydon where I live. Seeing spaces dedicated to artists made me realise that this was the right time. I remember looking at my artwork at home and asking myself, ‘Why can’t this art inspire others?’ I knew this was the moment. I approached Turf’s organisers, told them I had this collection sitting at home that I wanted to share with people, and they welcomed the idea and opened their doors to me. I was ready! I had just been waiting for the right moment. I always thought that I would do an exhibition in Morocco one day, but life kept me busy with other things, like social work, charity, and my studies. Now, the opportunity has finally come, and I am so glad.

Croydonist: Did your experiences of living in Morocco influence the work in any way, either visually or creatively?

Sara: Yes, of course, having lived in Morocco, it heavily influences my work. First, as I mentioned, the clear night skies and the stars truly inspired me. There is also a painting featuring a hand with five fingers, known as the ‘Khumissa’. In our culture, this symbol represents protection from negative energy, and it is a design commonly found on necklaces, jewellery and old doors in Medina. It inspired me deeply because I wanted to create a piece where, the moment someone looks at this hand, they instantly know it represents North Africa and Moroccan culture. Finally, I am also inspired by the Moroccan bright sun.

Croydonist: You describe yourself as an intuitive artist. What does that mean to you, and how does intuition shape your creative process?

Sara: I am an intuitive person in general. As someone gifted with this ability, I feel that art is entirely rooted in what we feel. Intuitive art means you don’t plan your masterpiece in advance. You might start with a baseline idea, but then you just go with the flow, following your emotions and your heart until you discover the final piece. You follow the messages that come to you from the universe, which want to be expressed through your art.

I discovered I was an intuitive artist because I used to try to make strict plans for my artwork, but I realised I never actually followed them! So, I decided to stop planning entirely and just trust the process and go with the flow. Doing this brings me surprising and beautiful results. It isn’t easy to be an intuitive artist; it requires a lot of practice and a willingness to truly let go of your emotions. If someone holds back and cannot express what they feel, it can be complicated. When I create art, I want it to give every single person who looks at it an impression that feels deeply personal to them.

Croydonist: You’re currently studying to become a Master Practitioner of Holistic Art Therapy. Has that journey changed the way you think about art and creativity?

Sara: My path toward art therapy didn’t just happen overnight; it evolved over many years. There was a period of time when I stopped being creative and stopped making art, and during those years, I felt completely lost like I had no purpose. At the end of 2025, I began creating again, and I noticed that I was truly flourishing.

When I moved to the UK, I knew my career wouldn’t look exactly the same as it did in Morocco, so I wanted to find a path intimately connected to art. I want to continue developing my own creative journey by holding exhibitions and selling my artwork, but at the same time, I also want to share the experience of healing through art with others. I want to show people how they can heal, find balance, and connect to a sense of calm and peace without needing to rely solely on words.

Sometimes, you simply cannot find the words to describe your pain, your sorrows, or what you are going through. When words fail, art steps in to help you let everything out. Using mediums like painting allows us to release heavy emotions, escape stress, and connect deeply to the present moment which is something we are really missing in the world nowadays.

I did a lot of research, took several classes in art therapy, and began volunteering at the Croydon Health and Wellbeing Space until I became fully convinced that this was the right thing to study. I fell completely in love with holistic art therapy. I believe everyone on this planet has a message to deliver to the earth, and being an artist is a powerful way to show people peace and love while exploring deep subjects. Art therapy goes straight to our emotions to help us become better versions of ourselves. Because it is something I love so deeply, I never feel exhausted by it, and I want to share those beautiful healing outcomes with everyone.

Croydonist: What do you hope visitors will take away from the exhibition when they see these works for the first time?

Sara: I want to show people how a fragile, broken eggshell can be transformed into something tough, hard, and resilient. There is a profound lesson to learn from a broken eggshell: even when you feel broken, or when challenges and hardships happen in life, you can overcome them and become stronger. The broken pieces of our lives are exactly what make us braver and more resilient, giving us the experience to handle future challenges.

I also want to encourage people to believe in themselves, trust their creativity, and hold onto their dreams. Look at me; I created this art twelve years ago, and only now is the moment it was truly meant to happen.

Croydonist: Looking back at the pieces over a decade after creating them, do you see them differently now?

Sara: Yes, I feel so proud, but I also look at them and question myself: ‘Did I really create this art?’ Especially when I look at the pieces made of those tiny, intricate eggshell fragments, I think to myself that I probably wouldn’t have the patience to put something like that together anymore!

Looking at these pieces also brings back beautiful memories of a time when my mother was still alive, when we were all together at home during the summertime in Morocco. It brings back so many memories from years ago. These pieces truly come from my soul and my heart. I am so emotionally tied to them. Seeing those beautiful memories of home and talking about them now makes me very emotional, because sometimes these are feelings that words just can’t fully express.

Croydonist: Finally, what’s next for you once this long-awaited exhibition has opened? 

Sara: Moving forward, I would love to share this work with different galleries here in London, across the UK, and even abroad. I want to share this specific technique and show people how you can take simple eggshells and create beautiful, strong patterns and art that lasts for a very long time.

Beyond that, I am focusing heavily on my studies and trying to share creative art therapy knowledge with people. I want to make others aware of how to achieve a better, stress-free life through creative expression, and I also want to dedicate more time to exploring my intuitive art across other mediums.

Thank you to Sara for chatting with me. Sara’s exhibition ‘The Hidden Collection’ runs until Saturday 27 June 2026 (Wed-Sat 11am-5pm) at Turf Projects, in the Project Space, First Floor, 1046-1048 Trinity Court, Whitgift Centre. You can follow Sara on Instagram.

Sara is also one of the 29 artists who are taking part in ‘Art On Our Doorstep: Croydon’s Contemporary Art Fair’ which opens this afternoon and runs until Sunday (14 June) in the Whitgift Centre. More details on the Culture Croydon website. Why not combine the art fair with a visit to Sara’s exhibition.

Images courtesy of Sara Hayfa.

Posted by Julia