MASTORIES05
Hayden Please tell us about your artistic talents and background.
I’m a graphic designer and illustrator. My practice is wide and varied. I studied graphic design at university and that’s led me to working as an interface designer on digital products. I’ve always made some kind of illustration work alongside this and I find the two modes balance and complement each other. Design gives me a place to solve practical problems and illustration is somewhere to experiment.
Which is your favourite parfum from the Mihan Aromatics’ collection and why?
Petrichor plains is my favourite. I like the natural earthy tones.
Can you recall a specific scent memory that stands out to you?
This is a tough one to pin point, but I know the feeling of a scent taking you back to a place. I have a memory of standing under the front verandah with my dad while we watched dark clouds roll in and reflected on how we could smell the rain that was approaching.
What initially drew you to illustration?
I’ve always made drawings and it’s something I always come back to. My influences have changed a lot over time. It was probably the street art scene in Melbourne in the late 2000’s, and then alt comics and risograph printing that put me onto the more illustration-focused artists that I enjoy today. People like James Jarvis, Stina Lofgren, Andy Rementer and Stefan Marx have been huge inspirations to me, and I think you can see these influences in my work.
How would you describe your illustration style or aesthetic?
My graphic design background has always influenced how I draw. Because of that, my style is very graphic and flat. I’m always looking to find new ways to explore image making. I am noticing the images I prefer are starting to get looser and more immediate. I enjoy playing with legibility, and using line to see how far I can simplify and push an image.
Hayden, we were lucky to have you on our team in 2023; you brought Petrichor Plains to life. Thank you. Tell us a little bit about how you approached this illustration…
This was a dream brief. And to have illustration work alongside Pete Gamlen and Olga Prader, two illustrators I have followed for ages, is very exciting. I approached the brief by drawing at a larger scale, and focused on working fast. I wanted to capture the movement of rain and give the scene a sense of the energy that is evident in the fragrance. It’s earthy, textured and I wanted to capture that on the page.
Being a lover of art, are there particular spaces, buildings, and galleries that you like to spend time in?
I like visiting all kinds of galleries. Some recent highlights have been visiting the Not Fair Art Fair, and a seeing a series of mono prints by Matlock Griffiths shown at Melbourne Now, NGV. I also like spending time outdoors. I’ve been drawing trees for a while. There is endless inspiration in the textures and organic shapes found in nature.
Are there any upcoming projects or exhibitions that we should keep an eye out for?
I’m slowly learning how to screen print at home in my garage. This has opened up a new possibilities of colour, paper and overprinting. It’s a fun way to explore image making in a more tactile way.
Thanks to Hayden for the interview and pics
