For the ove of art
Musician Darren Hayman has been painting birds during lockdown. He talked to us about what got him started…
The first thing to ask is how long have you been painting birds for? And what was it that got you started?
Since just before Christmas. I painted some to impress a girl I’d met on the internet and sent them to her, and it seemed to do the trick. Her interest in birds then became mine, and I started drawing many more different varieties.
I try to make them small enough to be affordable, and never do prints. I want everyone to be able to own an original painting.
Would you describe yourself as a birdwatcher, or is it more of a casual interest? And is it something that you’ve always had, or is it something that has developed more recently? Painting them has made me more interested in them. It’s hard to paint an animal as just an object, so I’ve enjoyed finding out about each one as I draw them. I like to have a little background to each bird so I can put some of that character into them. Painting and selling them also tells me a little about what birds have a place in the public’s affection.
Have you noticed the birds, and watched them more, during lockdown?
Yes, but that is due mainly to my getting an allotment, which was in turn was because of the lockdown. I found a bird station in the shed left by the previous owner. I have set it up and have put a bench nearby.
My neighbour is teaching me about the different foods that attract different species; or that Robins eat from flat trays, for instance. He tells me that birds can be remarkably tame on the allotment.
Has birdwatching helped you get through lockdowns? Very much so. Art has always been a haven for me, a very peaceful place in which for me to work. One thing about this year is that online there is just a torrent of opinions. It’s nice to have a way of helping without contributing to that noise. “Here’s a pretty bird!”
It’s also made me aware of how many people have an interest in birds, and their responses have in turn educated me.
Do you feed the birds in your garden, allotment or local park? Or put up nestboxes, etc?
I’ve had a little wooden feeder – kind of like a small bird house with a wire mesh part – hanging outside one of the windows of my flat for a few years now, but I think I live too high (on the fourth floor) to be able to attract any birds. Then, I had a bird feeder with seeds in at my allotment and I never saw anything, but the seeds shot down.
What species do you typically see in your garden and from home?
I live opposite Crystal Palace Park. We see parakeets every day and they seem to get a bad lot. I know they are thought of as pests, but I still like to see them.
It’s early days, but so far on my allotment, I have seen Blue Tits, Robins, Chaffinches and I love to listen to the Blackbirds.
Do you have a favourite species to paint?
Owls are so unusual to draw. You have an idea of what they look like, from cartoon representations, but they actually look quite different when you come to draw them. Drawing is like this, it teaches you how to see. For instance, I never realised how big birds’ feet are in relation to their bodies. The Golden Oriole was another favourite, but the bird I keep coming back to, and have painted three or four times, is the Nuthatch. He looks like such a determined little fellow.
And finally, are any of the paintings still available, and if so, where can people buy them?
On Twitter @darrenhayman is the best place, or search Darren Hayman on Etsy.