Isabel Halley, class of 1991, was born and raised in New York City, now residing in Brooklyn with her husband and son. Growing up in Tribeca during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s meant being surrounded by a community of artists and creatives. Much like the neighborhood at the time, The Washington Market School’s curriculum encouraged its young learners to foster their innate sense of self-motivation, curiosity and creativity – a philosophy which we continue to deeply value today.

Having grown into an artist herself, Isabel now owns a ceramics business, Isabel Halley Ceramics. After attending The School of Visual Arts in New York City, earning a degree in sculpture, Isabel worked with children teaching ceramics and worked in a children’s store before eventually starting her business. Working out of her home, Isabel pinches rolls and paints each piece in her collection by hand. 

Along with art, Isabel recalls music and storytelling to be central to her experience at WMS. Reminiscing fondly on her time in music class with the music teacher at the time, Robert, she remembers feeling a deep sense of connection to the songs they sang and danced to. Much like The Washington Market School’s current music teacher, Evan, Robert emphasized the importance of exploring music from cultures all over the world. To this day, Isabel is touched by the abundance of sounds, stories, and songs they explored from all over the world. 

Isabel keeps her experiences at The Washington Market School close to her heart, and shares these memories with friends who were her classmates over thirty years ago! The WMS community is one where relationships last a lifetime – a genuine indication of the strong bonds our school fosters.