Creating with Intention: Hayley of Hidden Pearl Design + Deserts Blooming

Day Briceño
Jul 5
5 min read

At Intent, we love shining light on creatives building businesses with depth and purpose. Today, we’re honored to feature Hayley—a brand designer and artist who beautifully blends creativity, faith, and intention in everything she creates. From her graphic design studio Hidden Pearl Design to her art brand Deserts Blooming, Hayley shares her journey with vulnerability, purpose, and clarity.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started.

I’m a graphic designer and artist, and I’ve always had this dream of running my own business. I graduated with a degree in Advertising and Graphic Design during the pandemic, which was wild—but it kind of cracked open the door. I was freelancing here and there, and with a lot of prayer and encouragement, I decided to just go for it.

I launched my branding studio, Hidden Pearl Design, to serve purpose-driven businesses—mainly service providers—with brand identity and creative strategy. Around the same time, I started painting as a form of healing. It was something physical I could do to connect with God. That grew into Deserts Blooming, where I share art rooted in rest, restoration, and faith.

What inspired you to turn your creative gifts into a business?

I’ve always been drawn to branding—especially logo design. Even back in school, it was the part of graphic design I loved most. There’s something so powerful about telling a story visually, and branding gives you the opportunity to do that in such a layered, intentional way. It’s not just about how something looks; it’s about uncovering the heart behind a business—the passion, the vision, the why—and then expressing that clearly through design.

What excites me most is helping people translate what’s often felt or internal into something others can actually see and connect with. Branding touches everything—how a business presents itself, how it builds trust, how it creates momentum. When you have a strong foundation, everything else becomes more cohesive. You can market more confidently, your audience understands you more quickly, and they’re more likely to join in.

It’s a meaningful and creative challenge that I genuinely love—taking someone’s story and helping them bring clarity to it through visuals and strategy. It’s not just about making things look good; it’s about helping people move forward with purpose.

How does your faith influence the way you approach your work?

God is at the center of all of it. And that didn’t happen overnight—it’s something I’ve had to grow into. There’s a lot in marketing and design that can feel flashy or self-serving, and I’ve had to sit with that tension. I want what I create to be rooted in truth and love—not just performance. I try to stay in a place of service and trust that the right clients will come. Even if they don’t share my faith, they can feel the care and clarity in the process.

What does intentional living mean to you?

To me, intentional living is about slowing down and aligning your life with what truly matters to you. It’s so easy to get caught in the constant rush of day-to-day life—always moving, always doing—and I found that pace left me feeling anxious and disconnected. Even though I had a strong belief system, I realized I wasn’t actually living it out in a way that felt grounded or integrated.

A few years ago, especially when I was just starting my business, I remember feeling overwhelmed all the time. And while that’s a very human experience, I knew I didn’t want to stay there. Living intentionally has looked like creating more margin in my days, making space to pause, reflect, and reconnect with God. It’s choosing to live from a place of purpose instead of pressure.

Even when life feels chaotic, intentionality reminds me that I’m moving toward something meaningful—something God is calling me into. It’s not about having it all figured out, but about being rooted in truth and walking forward with clarity and peace.

Why do you think intention is especially important in creative work?

I think a lot of creatives start out with a deep desire to impact others—to share their story, their perspective, their heart. But once you step into entrepreneurship, it can quickly get overwhelming. You take on all these new roles and responsibilities, and suddenly the thing you loved becomes weighed down by pressure, performance, and the noise of comparison.

That’s why intention is so important. It brings you back to the truth of who you are and why you started. It anchors you in your identity, not just as a creative, but as a person created with purpose. I’ve had to learn that myself—there’s so much I want to offer the world, but the creative path is rarely linear. There are high highs and low lows, and without intention, it’s easy to lose your footing.

Being intentional helps me care for myself through those ups and downs. It means paying attention to the rhythms I’m living by, the mindset I’m carrying, and how I’m creating. And when I do that—when I create from a place of truth and alignment—I can offer work that’s more authentic, more meaningful, and more sustainable.

What’s one of your morning practices that helps you stay grounded?

Spending time with God in the morning has become an anchor in my day. It’s one of those practices that used to feel like just a routine when I was younger—but now, it’s something I genuinely crave. I make my coffee, sit with my journal, read the Bible, and pray over the day ahead. It’s a slow, grounding rhythm that reminds me I don’t have to carry everything on my own.

That quiet time helps me feel centered before the busyness begins. I’ve also started creating something every day—not for a client, not for work, just for the joy of it. Sometimes it’s digital, sometimes it’s watercolor, but I try to invite God into that space too. It’s become a way to stay connected to both my creativity and my purpose.

I didn’t plan to share it, but I’ve been posting little glimpses of that process on Substack. It’s been a sweet surprise to see how something made without pressure or a clear outcome can still bear fruit. It’s helped me see creativity as a form of worship—and that’s been deeply grounding.

What’s one area where you’re being deeply intentional right now?

Definitely in how I approach creativity. Social media can feel loud and draining, so I’m learning to quiet the noise and check in with my heart before I post or produce. I want to create from overflow, not obligation. That means honoring what I need—rest, inspiration, space—and trusting that it’s enough.

What advice would you give to another overwhelmed creative right now?

First, have empathy for yourself—feeling overwhelmed is so common, especially in the creative and entrepreneurial world. There’s a lot of pressure and messaging that makes us feel like we’re not doing enough, even before we start. But if you’re feeling overwhelmed, it likely means you’re doing something meaningful.

Take time to pause and reflect on how far you’ve come. It’s easy to stay focused on the future and forget to celebrate the progress you’ve already made. I’ve found that gratitude and reflection are essential practices.

If you believe in God, I also encourage you to invite Him into your creative process. For a long time, I kept my faith and creativity separate, but the more I involve God in my work, the more I see how much He cares about it. Overwhelm can actually become a space for transformation when we let Him in.

This journey won’t always be clear or easy, but slowing down—creating space to pray, breathe, and be intentional—can help you stay grounded through it all.