Even if you haven’t heard of Jefferson Hayman, there’s a good chance you’ve seen his work. The Nyack, New York–based artist’s photographs and sculptures have been employed in an array of esteemed projects by big-name designers, including Heidi Caillier, Brad Ford, Ken Fulk, Donna Mondi, Thomas O’Brien and more. “While I still do gallery exhibitions, working with designers and the design community has become my main focus,” Hayman tells Business of Home.
Growing up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, he started sketching at a young age and never stopped. In college, he studied art at Kutztown University and promptly moved to New York after earning his degree. “In a way, New York became my graduate school,” he explains. “I took jobs in galleries and learned the ways of the art world while exhibiting my drawings around the city.”
He soon began experimenting with photography, which eventually became his medium of choice. In 2001, he hosted his first photo exhibition, and a five years later launched his career as a photographer. “I became a full-time artist in 2006, with my only regret being not doing it sooner,” he says.
Hayman displays his photographs—which often showcase still-life subjects ranging from storm clouds to lemons and cannabis leaves—in antique handmade frames in order to transform each print into a “one-of-a-kind object.” Unsurprisingly, his artful mix of raw documentation and ornate decor quickly earned him a devoted following of interior designers and collectors alike. “I use the camera for what it’s best at: pure documentation,” he says. “We each lead unique and wonderful lives, and photography allows me to make my experiences more permanent in a way.”
To keep busy when the pandemic hit, he started handcrafting small, wall-mounted sculptures fashioned from vintage children’s toys and building blocks. Much like his photography, Hayman’s colorful, nostalgic designs have resonated with tastemakers, recently appearing in the famed windows of Bergdorf Goodman’s Fifth Avenue store this past summer. “Making them is so fun, and requires a full range of tools, adhesives and woodworking knowledge,” he says. “They’re like miniature studies of form and color, and when installed in groups, take on a whimsical feel with a modernist bent.”
Today, he works out of his home studio in Nyack—a village on the banks of the Hudson River, just 25 miles north of Manhattan—and continues to exhibit his art around the world, and more recently, at the new 313 Space at High Point Market. “As an artist, High Point is such an amazing place to exhibit, and 313 Space is at the epicenter of it all,” he says. “It has the feel of a gallery, design showroom and makers studio all at once—it’s the best place to see my latest works.”
Looking ahead, Hayman—who also works with designers and collectors on bespoke commissions—has upcoming exhibitions at both High Point and the Park Avenue Armory’s Photography Show in April, followed by one at the William Scott Gallery in Provincetown, Massachusetts. “My inspiration is life itself,” he says. “Finding beauty in the commonplace and elevating it through my work.”
For more information on Jefferson Hayman, check out his website.
