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Michael Hayden (born August 21, 1961) is an American Encaustic Artist. Hayden is known for incorporating discarded materials such as broken glass, driftwood, and metal into his artwork.

Life
Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Hayden was fascinated with fire at an early age, accidentally setting fire to the interior of his parents' automobile. Soon after graduating high school, he moved to New York City. There he worked for a time as an assistant to the Art Director at Vogue, and also began painting interiors commercially. Later he moved to San Francisco, where he studied at The Day Studio from 1994-1996, becoming a master artist.

It was while working on a mural in Oakland that Hayden was introduced to painting using melted beeswax. He started experimenting, melting crayons to convey emotion into his work. Going forward, Hayden focused exclusively on the Encaustic method.

His first studio exhibit was in 2002 at the Pro Arts Gallery in Oakland.

Influences & Comparisons
Hayden lists Vincent Van Gogh and Jackson Pollock among some of his personal favorite artists. Jasper Johns, also an Encaustic artist, has been a direct influence on his work. Johns' Target With Plaster Casts inspired Hayden's Hinged Series. 

Hayden has also been favorably compared to Mark Rothko.

In Popular Culture

 * Hayden's work can be seen in the IMAX Film Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk and in HGTV's Celebrities at Home episode featuring Cesar Millan.
 * Hayden was featured in the premiere episode of Selling LA on HGTV.
 * Hayden's first cousin is country singer/songwriter Deborah Allen.
 * Some of Hayden's collectors include Jenny McCarthy, Brian Henson, Jessica Stroup, and Diane Lander-Simon.