Meet B Hayden | Painter and Tattoo Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with B Hayden and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi B, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I knew that I possessed a future in the arts from the very beginning, but it wasn’t until I was 18 years old sitting in a cubicle, and nodding off that I knew I just wasn’t capable of working a job staring at a computer, ordering office supplies, and responding to emails. After my boss caught me sleeping at my desk I was told that they would no longer need my assistance as office administrator, and I couldn’t have agreed more. Eventually I made my way into my first gallery job and realized that as long as I’m surrounded by art then I was at a job worth doing.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a figurative painter focusing primarily on gender identity and human purpose as well as the evolutionary changes of human life juxtaposed with the societal changes affected by LGBTQ+ liberation. I use wide brushstrokes of acrylic and oil paint to create soft tender paintings that depict love, loss and friendship. More recently, I began tattooing at a shop in Bushwick, and I could not be more excited to have this skill added to my repertoire. I’ve always loved tattoos, and when I was in college I wandered into a shop in Dallas in search for answers on how to become a tattoo artist. After the owner told me that “most women who work in tattoo shops are usually sleeping with the male artists” I left thinking tattooing wasn’t for me at all. But eventually I became certain in myself and how I wanted my life to go, and I started to feel like I was depriving myself of something that could really heighten my life over a fear that I had full control over. So I started looking for shops again, and eventually I found Minimal on Troutman St. run by kind men that never expected anything except art and hard work from me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of my favorite things I’ve ever done since I moved to New York was coast along the Hudson River Waterfront. It’s a beautiful view and a super easy ride. Then we could go the Museum of Natural History and lay under the big whale, or wonder through the MET. However, I prefer Brooklyn over Manhattan so I would fill most of our time laying in the grass at Prospect Park, thrifting at Urban Jungle, eating our weight at Vanessa’s Dumplings and dancing at The Bush.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for the endless support of my friends and family. After I moved to Brooklyn I’ve met some very talented and incredible artists that I’m so honored to call my friends – Kate Alboreo, Sammy Bennett, Ryan Davis and Briana Grogan are just a few people that have gotten me through some hard times. One group that is always inspiring me, however, are the folks that run Lesbians are Miracles. LAM started as a podcast and has grown into a magazine featuring works from queer artists all over the globe. The people who started LAM are so down to earth, and I love the work they are doing and everything they stand for.

Website: https://www.bhaydenstudio.com/

Instagram: @_b.hayden_