Toni Hayden’s art work crosses a multitude of media and subject matter, from delicately detailed botanical paintings to calligraphy-led illustrations, to pencil life drawings. She has won numerous awards for her work, which is represented in the collections of the British Museum (NH), the Victoria and Albert Museum, The Shirley Sherwood Collection and the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, USA.
Toni teaches Portraiture, Life Drawing and Flower Painting to adults and children, at home (Wensum Lodge Adult Education Centre in Norwich and at Eaton (CNS) School) and abroad. For enquiries telephone 01603 453046 or email tonihayden@ntlworld.com.
This is Toni’s Review of the Year, and our last of 2013’s series. Have a great 2014!
Lisa: What has been your favourite exhibition of 2013?
Toni: ‘Morandi: Lines of Poetry’ at the Estorick Collection, London in January showed the work of Giorgio Morandi (1890-1964). He made atmospheric etchings of Italian landscapes and still life compositions, of bottles and bowls to hand in his studio in Bologna. His vases and jugs stand purposefully in their designated places like people waiting in a queue. To convey such presence from graphic, monochromatic images is the hand of genius.
‘The Art and Soul of Paper‘ in March was organised by the International Association of Hand Papermakers and Paper Artists and showed work in four galleries within walking distance of each other in Norwich. This was a rare opportunity to see work from all continents, ranging from historical papers for Chinese court presentations, Japanese helmets of war, paper for healing from Nepal and on to contemporary use in clothing, kites, art, craft and sculpture.
A highlight of Toni Hayden’s year: Diana Beltran Herrera (http://www.dianabeltranherrera.com/birds.html)
Both of these events provided useful discussion in my work as an Art Tutor, the first show mainly for beginners, the second for more experienced learners, when the quality of the paper is critical.
Lisa: What highlights have you experienced in your own art studio in 2013?
Toni: Back in my studio, my most recent work often seems to be the most exciting. This year it consisted of three commissioned portraits of the grandchildren of a colleague. The pencil drawings on Arches Not surface paper were required for Christmas and having a deadline was helpful when working around a teaching schedule.
‘Amelia’ by Toni Hayden, pencil drawing, 2013
The highlight of the year came in May, flying from Norwich to Tokyo to visit my son who was working there. From the guide book I saw that Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ is held in the Yasuda Kasai Gallery where I had had a painting exhibited in 1998 as part of the Shirley Sherwood Collection. The gallery is perched on the 42nd floor, half-way up a skyscraper with a panoramic view of the city. The museum shop was awash with sunflower-covered merchandise, but the city’s Art, Architecture and minimal sense of design permeates everything, from the layout of the menu at the Four Seasons Restaurant to the décor of my hotel room.
‘Tokyo Hotel’ by Toni Hayden, ink, 2013
Lisa: What art related new year’s resolutions will you make?
Toni: I do feel energised after returning from a trip and am compiling a list of projects for the New Year. Having recently discovered that the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge have their own Calligraphy Collection, I’d like to offer them one of my pieces.
‘Cat-English’ by Kingsley Amis, designed by Toni Hayden, print, 2013
I would also like to find a residency position abroad, perhaps in Italy, as I have the language. As well as this, I need to learn the technical information to successfully show line drawings online.
Lisa: What valuable lesson did you learn about making art in 2013?
Toni: The internet can be a useful platform for selling art, although one needs to be wary of Art Scams. This week I’ve learned a lesson about these and fortunately there is a useful website telling you how to avoid falling prey and what to do if you have:
https://sites.google.com/site/bogusartfair/home
Lisa: What art materials are on your Christmas wishlist?
Toni: As it’s Christmas week, and in case anyone’s listening, I’d like a new da Vinci Maestro 35 paintbrush size 7, ready for my next year’s trip to paint the sunsets of Santorini…
To see more of Toni Hayden’s work please visit http://www.tonihayden.com/
