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Leaving The Past Behind
Written By: Donna Rhodes | Issue: June 2023
Art Highlands Gallery (previously Invocative Fine Art) offers exciting, cutting- edge creations from artists’ studios all over the country and world. First on this season’s docket: International Artist-in-Residence, Michael Hayden.
Michael Hayden and his sculptural, encaustic creations are reminiscent of Rothko, Jasper Johns, Diebenkorn, and other mid-century painters who unlocked the emotional power of color. Michael’s work is both panoramic and expansive, a balance of the masculine (geometric, large, bold) and feminine (organic, oceanic, crystals). Photographs can’t come close to the awe one feels in the physical presence and vibrancy of a Michael Hayden masterwork.
Much of Michael’s work was recently crated and sent to Highlands for his current Artist-in-Residence Show, June 1 – 4, opening reception: Thursday, June 1, 4:00-7:00 P.M.
For readers unfamiliar with encaustics, Michael offers a brief introduction: “First, I apply molten beeswax mixed with resin over burlap. I love the way wax grabs the textured fabric. Then, I heat the surface with an iron, torch, or heat gun while incorporating pigments, varieties of metal leaf or found objects … sometimes crystals. These additions become encapsulated into the beeswax… I compare this process to how insects become trapped in amber, preserved for centuries and every bit as spellbinding.”
Encaustic painting is one of the most steadfast archival art forms. Once pigments are combined with beeswax, they will never fade, as evidenced in the Fayum Mummy Portraits, Grecian style, 4 BCE.
Michael adds, “Paintings in oil, acrylic or watercolor seem somewhat flat to me. In my mind, building layers and textures by adding found objects with untold stories is a way of giving my paintings a soul. Now, instead of being tossed in the trash, these artifacts have another chance at life. Hopefully, they will live on as a conversation piece for centuries to come.” There is a magic about Michael’s medium. It’s a living entity, solid, yet fluid. Flat, yet texturally sculpted. Geometric, yet organic. More than just painting… it’s a luscious slice of luminosity.
Michael’s art has been featured in numerous TV shows and films, including HGTV, IMAX, and renowned design magazines Elle and Modern Luxury Interiors. His paintings are collected by famous Hollywood icons, among them Jenny McCarthy and Cesar Millan.
Visit Michael’s website: michaelhaydenart.com. Follow him @michaelhaydenart on Instagram for more information.
Art Highlands Gallery is open 11:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M., Daily, 521 N. Fourth Street, Highlands, North Carolina, 28741; Managing Director: Beata Gola; Beata.Gola17@ gmail.com; (828) 482-4945.
