Paulette Hayes
"The essence of my art is the human condition," says Paulette Hayes. "It is designed to appeal to both the heart
and the mind, and is inspired by my internal and external worlds. Subjects explored may reference the cycle of birth
and death, memories, women’s roles and issues, the environment both macro and micro, social justice and politics.
"When developing an idea, I ask myself “how I can tell this story?”
What materials, what techniques, what colours and what textures will enable me to express
an emotion or an idea to convey what I want to say. I work predominantly with mixed media as part of my story telling
– clay, paper, metal, fabric; they all have their own narrative to tell – and much time is spent finding a balance
between conceptual art and over-simplified work requiring no input from the viewer."
'What are you looking at?'
embroidery
'Two Degrees'
Stoneware clay, gesso, inks,
hand dyed organza, plywood, dowel.
23 cm x 218.5 cm x 32.5cm
Artist Statement
The title 'Two Degrees'
refers to the two degrees Celsius that
the earth was expected to increase in
temperature by the end of this century
– of course we will be well over it.
The figure is covered
with singed and burnt leaves.
'What is this Whispering in my Heart'
Stoneware paperclay, underglaze, inks,
sheet aluminium, plywood, aluminium rod
20 cm x 25 cm x 32.5 cm
Artist Statement
The title 'What is this Whispering in my Heart'
is taken from a book by Henry Reynolds
and refers to Aboriginal Massacres.
The sculpture has ‘leaves’ around its neck
– referencing the nameplates Aboriginal people had to wear around their necks
– and lists many of the massacres in Australia.
artworks from Faith, Joy & Other Disasters
October 2017
'Self Love - green-orange-green'
machine embroidery
generously donated to the Serpentine Community Gallery's
'Maggie, Maeve and the Moon'
'Maggie, Maureen and the Moon'
'Self Love - blue and 2 pinks'
'Self Love - mauve and 2 oranges'
'Self Love - purple and 2 oranges'
'Self Love - pink green pink'
'Self Love - turquoise mauve purple'
'Self Love - pink and 2 greens'
machine embroidery
'Bronzer Sheila'
clay, acrylic paint
'Mother Tree'
clay, aluminium, printing
March 2017
'Eros'
machine embroidery
'Philantia'
machine embroidery
from Decadence
- A celebration of 10 Years of Art and Community - November/December 2016
'Free Speech'
fabric, machine embroidery
'Free Speech'
detail
At the opening of Under the Radar,
Paulette Hayes explains her work
from Under the Radar - May/June 2016
'Jasmine'
sculpture
From 16th September to 13th October 2015,
the Serpentine Community Gallery
was the venue for
a solo exhibition by Paulette Hayes.
Paulette's extraordinary work
is highly textured, colourful and unique,
and creates a tapestry-like effect with the
use of fabric and photographic imagery.
Also on view during the same dates was
- a collection of recent work by
A combined opening night celebration
took place on Friday
18th September, 6-8pm.
As a contemporary female artist, Paulette’s work also explores the female image
in art, and her deep concern with social issues that evoke a sense of injustice.
'Cambodia: The Killing Fields'
112 x 86 cm
Materials: White cotton, recycled denim & cotton t-shirts,
diluted fabric dyes, silk dyes, computer printed images,
machine embroidery threads, wool wadding.
Technique: Photo manipulation, prepared cotton printed with images,
layering, piecing, stitches designed by artist on computer
and stitched in frame on sewing machine.
* Winner of the Kirtz Van Norwich Award, The Artist as Quiltmaker XV, Ohio, USA
'Dreamtime Alice’
fabric/stitching
first prize winner in the Open section
of the 2015 Serpentine Gallery Art Prize
from Place - August 2015
'Dreamtime Alice' detail
For more about Paulette Hayes and her textile art: