Kari Hayden

Growing up near the sea on the Wirral in the North West of England, artist Kari Hayden was influenced by the beauty of the ocean from a young age. She studied art at school and went on to complete an art foundation course in Chester followed by a degree in Fashion studies at the University of Derby. After a career in Fashion and retail buying spanning two decades, she returned to art in 2020 as a way of relaxing and reducing stress levels which had led to her being diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Inspired by light in nature, picturesque land and seascapes are brought to life using acrylic and oil paint. The artist explains “I am particularly drawn to the sea. I love that the sea has personality, it’s like a living, breathing entity. Sometimes it’s calm and tranquil, sometime is rages. It is unpredictable and yet beautiful. I try to portray that in my art. I will use anything to paint, a brush, a palette knife, a spatula, an old credit card… I love experimenting and mark making. I work mainly in acrylics on canvas as it means I can work and get my ideas out quickly but then I like to live with my art for a while and build up layers as I go along to create a truly individual piece.” Kari now lives in Surrey with her husband and two children finding inspiration in the South Downs and along the coastline in the south of England. She is a member of Haslemere Art Society and The Surrey hills plein air painter’s group who can be found out and about around Surrey most Fridays.