Born on January 15, 1890, Hayden’s original name was Peyton Cole Hedgeman. He was given the name Palmer Hayden by his commanding sergeant during World War I. He grew up in the town of Wide Water, Virginia, and was a self-trained artist. Hayden was one of the first in America to depict African subjects in his paintings.

As a young man, Hayden studied at the Cooper Union in New York City and also practiced independent studies at Boothbay Art Colony in Maine. [1] He won the esteemed Harmon Foundation’s Gold Award for painting twice: first for a seascape entitled Schooners in 1926. One of his most famous pieces was made in 1931–32, a still life called Fetiche et Fleurs. After receiving his Harmon award, supportive patrons granted Hayden money to study in France.

Much of Hayden’s influences came from the environment around him. He enjoyed painting, and used his time in Paris for inspiration. Over his next five years in Paris, Hayden was very productive, trying to capture elements of Parisian society.  He later returned to the United States in 1932 where he steadily worked for the U.S. Treasury Art Project and the W.P.A (Works Projects Administration).

Hayden’s work after Paris focused on the African American experience. He tried to capture rural life as well as urban backgrounds in New York City. Many of these urban paintings were centered in Harlem. One of his more popular works, The Janitor Who Paints, depicts a working class African American pursuing his dream of art after work.

Hayden continued to make contributions to the artistic community throughout his whole life until his death on February 18, 1973.

Sources: Wikipedia, YouTube