The Life of Palmer Hayden Karissa Smith

Early Life Palmer Hayden was born Peyton Hedgeman to John and Nancy Hedgeman in Widewater, Virginia. He was one of twelve children. Though he had a dream of becoming a fiddle player, his family could not afford lessons, let alone a fiddle. He was inspired by an older brother to start drawing. After being educated in public schools, Hayden moved to Washington D.C. as an adolescent to look for work. He did work as an errand boy and a porter, but spent most of his free time sketching boats.

Adulthood Eager to start his drawing career, he put an ad in the newspaper as an available artist’s assistant. When he went to an interview for a white man, he was denied because of his skin color. Peyton worked many odd jobs including a stint as a laborer in the circus that is now know as the Ringling Brothers Circus. He enlisted in World War I and his Commanding Sergeant shortened his name to Palmer Haydon. He is among the first to use African American subjects and designs in his pieces. Palmer’s 1926 still life painting named Fetiche et Fleurs, displaying a Fang mask from Garbon and Bakuba raffia cloth from the Congo, won the prestigious Harmon Foundation’s Gold Award. With his winnings, Hayden continued his studies in Paris, where he learned more of ethnic subject matter. He returned to the United States in He started working for the U.S. government, including the U.S. Treasury Art Project and the WPA. He died on February 18,1973.

Famous Pieces Palmer Hayden is known for his paintings capturing the cultures of African Americans. Though some critics label some of his pieces as demeaning and stereotypical, he was a praised artist during the Harlem Renaissance. Some of his more famous pieces are Jeunesse, Summer in America, and The Janitor who Paints.

Jeunesse

Summer in America

The Janitor who Paints

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