Studio Visit & Interview with Brent Hayden
By John Vochatzer
Although I haven’t known him for very long, my new friend Brent Hayden is someone with whom I have plenty of things to talk about. Aside from us both being mixed media maniacs with emphases on collage, we’re also both co-parents to our own artist-run gallery spaces here in downtown San Francisco. Along with his partner Sarah Choe, Brent opened Soft Times Gallery where they held their very first exhibit just weeks ago to great success. Founded on premises of inclusivity, accessibility, and community involvement much like our own, I consider Soft Times a very welcome addition to our neighborhood art scene that seems to be newly budding after being nearly wiped out by the pandemic.
An apparent workaholic (also much like myself), when not running the gallery Brent can often be found at his studio space which is located above Arc Gallery in the Soma District just a quick skateboard ride away. Working almost entirely with the unique medium of Shrinky Dinks for the past few years, his work is the type that is most definitely best enjoyed in person. The softly hued, chaotically chic clusters he creates are a true joy to stand in front of and visually explore, along with almost everything else in his studio. There’s a very playful nature to all of his work and I think the main take-away from my experience there was the reminder that before anything, art can and should be fun.
Brent recently decided to put aside the Shrinky Dinks as he transitions into his next stage as an artist which looks to be focused more on collage and image transfer based works. I was lucky to get a little sneak preview of some of these new pieces and I’m very excited to see where this direction takes him. Something I really admire about Brent’s work is how cohesive it all feels despite how much it jumps around in approach, experimentation, and different media used. The new work so far is no exception to this. Thanks again for letting me explore your studio, Brent, and greatly looking forward to what’s the come!
Interview
Hi Brent! It was great checking out your studio for the first time, and I must say it is probably one of the most visually stimulating studios I’ve been to. Can you tell us what’s an average studio day like for you, and how does the space you work in affect your work?
Thank you! My studio can feel like a “kitchen sink” sometimes to be honest. I have a habit of completely changing my work in terms of what medium I focus on every few years, so there can be a drastic shift between each piece in the studio.
For example, I had a period where I would create nothing but cyanotype collages that were very monochromatic in nature, which are now positioned next to the most colorful, chaotic Shrinky Dink sculptures, next to mixed media paintings with multiple layers that you can really dive into.
Additionally, I also love putting ridiculous items on my studio wall, not necessarily as its own piece, but more of a weird-o wall installation that’s constantly changing. I have a habit of juxtaposing grotesque imagery with more grandiose, cleaner work.
I wouldn’t say I have a consistent workflow, it really just depends on which body of work I’m currently working on. One day I can be in the studio cutting collage materials for 6 hours straight, the next day I could be painting gradients on a table full of wood panels. The only thing that stays constant is that I have to be in a comfortable, positive state of mind. If I am having a shit day, I struggle producing any type of work.
I realized I don’t really know too much about what you were doing prior to your current series’ and styles of work. What’s your history and background as an artist like? Have you always created? Did you go to art school or are you all self-taught?
My background in art has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. I moved here from Houston, Texas roughly 11 years ago. I used to live in the Arts Warehouse District with a few artists and we did nothing but eat, pray, love art. We treated the city as a playground of curiosity and admittedly, it got us in trouble often. One night we got tackled and thrown into jail for skating in though a 5 star hotel around 4am. I had this bright idea to go in-between the security guards legs like it was a fucking cartoon, they had the brighter idea to follow. It didn’t work out. Not even close. Long story short, shortly after, my grandfather saw potential in me and suggested I progress my art capabilities through formal education.
I have always done illustration work, digital media, and painting, but mostly I was focused on photography, so that was my focus when I came out to San Francisco and to pursue a degree in Fine Art with an emphasis on Photography. I was very fortunate to learn the tools that I did, which I still incorporate into my work to this day.
One thing I like about your work is how many different types of media it employs, but it seems like (until recently) the most prominent material in your work has been Shrinky Dinks. How did you get into using these things and what’s the process like in building your assemblages with them?
Back to what I mentioned earlier about my studio being a kitchen sink, I truly keep so many materials around me because you never know when you might be inspired to revisit or repurpose, or try something new. Having materials within quick reach really enables me to explore at any given moment. I also save materials for years because I am very cognizant of how wasteful art practices can be, and with the intent to repurpose, I can offset my impact on waste.
My work does not have a singular goal nor overarching theme; rather, it converges vibrant imagery into a rhythmic notion, ultimately creating provocative scenery, metaphysical worlds, cityscapes, all alongside many depictions of a metropolis. I also incorporate biomorphic qualities and personifications of creatures frolicking in crevices to which a viewer might not find at first glance. The work tends to not be so self-serious, instead it's more of a moment one can explore and just enjoy its weirdness.
With the Shrinky Dink material, it was one of those love at first sight materials. As soon as I experimented with it, that’s ALL I did for 3 years. Before the Pandemic I was working 3 jobs, I was teaching an after school arts program focusing on mixed-media in the Castro, I was bartending in North Beach, and helping run the cafe section of a Michelin star restaurant in Pac-Heights. All the while trying to make work afterwards, which would sometimes end up in the 3-4am timeframe.
When the pandemic hit everything just stopped, I actually had time to make art, and honestly it kept me sane during the beginning because like the rest of us, we thought it was Armageddon. After a couple of months I had 55 sculptures made from mostly Shrink Dinks in my living room which made it impossible to walk through. Soon after, I moved all my work into ARC Gallery & Studios in Soma where I currently work out of. I would bake the materials in my apartment, then assemble all the work in the studio. Being aware of the materials I was using, I would donate 10% of sales through the galleries I was exhibiting out of that would help battle climate change, as well as directly give proceeds to local organizations focused on helping feed the community.
I also made Jewelry out of the same materials which really helped with income during the pandemic, people that didn’t want to necessarily buy a sculpture could still obtain my work by other means. I had to retire that body of work for the time being though, I didn’t really like the direction it was going and wanted to evolve - fortunately, I had one last “hoorah” exhibit with the last pieces made in that style.
I’m excited about the new collage/image transfer series of pieces you’ve started working on. It’s a nice change-up from your other work but still cohesively ties together with it all. How did you end up gravitating in this direction?
I am really excited about the new work I’ve been producing lately. I am revisiting photo transfer mediums that I had previously worked with, this time in a more matured state. I've been collaging images from books that focused on 19th century medical procedures & diseases. Some of the imagery is relatable to what we thought we were going through for a while with the pandemic, this almost sheds light that it was nowhere near something as vile as the bubonic plague. Even common diseases that we had yet to conceive a cure/vaccine for, it really helps you appreciate how we have progressed through science. The imagery is grotesque to put it mildly, but I really love combining various elements and then sending it through various glitch filters and applying these images on top of paintings that I have made on wood panels. My color palette is primarily on the pastel side, but I’ve been moving towards bolder colors and movements for the bold subject matter. The resulting work has been satisfying for me so far and it’s just the start!
What’s most important to you in your creative process: the process, or the final product?
That’s really tough, I would have to say the act of actually making the work is more satisfying, even getting a really good gradient can make my entire day feel complete. I will say it's a pain in the ass to rub off some of the photo transfer materials I have been using lately, especially on larger pieces.
Whenever I finish a piece in the studio the last thing I do is give the piece a good varnish, and stay out of the studio for at least a day to let the varnish set. That part of the process also gives me a really nice closure and finality to the process. Afterwards, it’s really exciting to open the studio doors afterwards and see the final product.
Something else we have in common is we’re both artists who’ve opened up galleries amidst the pandemic. For me it’s something that’s been a pipe dream for a while now, but the events of the past couple years finally paved the way for us actually making these ambitions into a reality. What was that course like for you? Is opening a gallery something you’ve aspired towards for a long time?
Yes! I've been really inspired by what y’all have been doing at Moth Belly, it's rare that San Francisco gets an artist-run space so that was exciting to see firsthand. I’ve always had the idea of opening up a gallery but the idea was so abstract and felt so unattainable in SF. It got to the point during the pandemic where I was actually making some pretty good sales off my artwork and almost every artist that I would talk to would say something along the lines of that they have also sold more work recently than ever before, with people spending more time at home and starting to appreciate having good art to keep them company. We figured why the hell not, it's either now or never, with commercial spaces being more accessible than ever before. We’re still learning what it actually means to run a gallery, but we’re trying, and so far it's been going great!
What’s your vision for Soft Times Gallery? What kind of art do you like and want to put the spotlight on as a curator?
Well we had our first exhibit as a kind of “Grand Opening '' inaugural exhibit with 25 artists, each artist showcasing one piece of work. The name “Soft Times'' actually is a play off what we were all going through in the beginning of the pandemic, remember when all you heard was “We’re all going through hard times”. Well we invite you to come to our gallery for some “Soft Times”, where we put an emphasis on playful work that is vibrant and colorful, to unwind a bit.
To that point, we just really want Soft Times to feel welcoming for artists, creatives, patrons, and the community. We're trying to be more accessible, and not trying to be too self-serious about the gallery environment we’re creating… That being said though, we are serious about the type of polished, gallery presentation that emerging contemporary artists deserve, and I must say we have some damn good exhibits planned for this year. One in particular I’m most thrilled about is an exhibit in October/November titled “Crimson Tide” where we are going to paint the walls and ceiling a deep red, and showcase a group exhibit where the work is 80-100% red. We plan on doing some unconventional exhibits here while still retaining more traditional shows as well.
How do you plan to balance running a gallery along with your current art practice? Do you foresee it having an affect on how or how much you create?
You know, when Soft Times started, I was going to focus on curating and take a step back and just make some weird paintings behind the scenes of everything. Oddly enough, I started to really like the direction the work was going so I’ve been putting more time into my practice again. I typically work on something in the morning over tea at home, then head to the gallery to focus on administrative work, then afterwards skate to the studio in Soma to put a few hours in over there. It's been a good balance, although at some points it can feel a little hectic. I love being around new work in the gallery during the day though, I get so inspired by all of the different styles of art. Honestly just meeting new artists and talking with them, learning their process and point of view has been shifting my own work that feels beneficial.
This is a question I want to start asking more regularly in interviews, and as both an artist and a curator you’re the perfect candidate for it; why is it important for people to collect art and have art in their homes?
Oh wow yeah John that’s a really tough question. For me personally, there is something so desolate about a blank wall. Beyond that though, I think it's important to support the arts, there is this idea that art can be so inaccessible which is very untrue. We are trying to challenge that idea through Soft Times Gallery by creating that welcoming environment for new collectors and helping them embrace the importance (and the joy) of buying an original piece of artwork. In an age where anything can be so mass produced, I can’t imagine anything more appealing than owning a one-of-a-kind work of art that someone has taken time out of their own existence and poured their soul into. With that perspective, you can feel so lucky and appreciative to obtain an original piece of art and that is a joy that we’d like to impart on others.
Last question: the art scene in SF has taken quite a few blows and changed enormously in the past ten years. With a resurgence in street art during the pandemic, and now with several DIY arts spaces and artist-run galleries popping up in long vacant storefronts, there’s been a lot of speculation that we’re on the verge of a strong revival. A mini-renaissance following the plague, per se. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think it’s true?
You know, I’ve been saying for the past couple of years that next thing you know, the newest “must see'' gallery will be located on the 39th floor of the SalesForce Tower in Conference Room B. Of course the idea of starting a gallery can be a difficult decision when you have seen countless galleries open and close over the years. I’m just really hoping for the artists to take back the city and have more artist-run spaces, not just galleries, but spaces where people feel comfortable in their own skin and for a community that gives everyone a voice, for artists to feel like they can live in SF again without the stigma of being a dying breed.
