"Palmer C.Hayden" "January 15,1890-February 18,1973)

Was an American Painter who depicted African American life.He painted in both oils and watercolors,and was a prolific artist of his era.Palmer

was originally called Peyton Cole Hedgeman.He was given the name Palmer Hayden by his commanding sergeant during World War I.Palmer grew up in the town Wildwater Virginia,and was a self-trained artist.He was one of the first in America to depict African subjects in his paintings.He began to draw as a small child,and was inspired to start drawing by his older brother.Palmer enjoyed drawing landscapes of the surrounding countryside.Palmer had a dream of becoming a fiddle player,and told art historian Harry Henderson that he regretted of his life not pursuing this dream.His family cold not afford a fiddle,and he was to timid to follow his dream.Midnight at the Crossroads is and oil painting that reffects his harsh conflict between and becoming a fiddle player.Palmer moved to Washington DC to find work when he reached adolescence.He became an errand boy and porter.Palmer started to draw fishing and sailboats,which he was around constantly,during his his workday.When he started to pursue an art career,he ran into his first encounter with racism.Palmer placed an ad in the local paper for an artist's assistant,but was rejected when he showed up for the interview because he was black.He later became a laborer for the Buffalo Bill Circus,then the Ringling Brothers Circus.Afterwards,he joined the army's black company a,24th infantry regiment,and was stationed in the Phillippines.Palmer later worked as a deliveryman at West Point Academy during World War I.He moved to Greenwhich Village after he was discharged to pursue a career in fine arts.While pursuing his slowly-growing art career,Palmer worked as a postal clerk,janitor,and a variety of other part-time jobs.In 1925 &1926,his work appeared at the Society of Inddependent Artists and his very first solow show was in April 1926 at the Civic Club.In 1937,Palmer created the Janitor Who Paints.Despite his artistic success and popularity in Europe,Palmer was still attacked by the press for his early life as a janitor who had little to no training:'...for years,Palmer,a negro has been cleaning houses and washing windows to make a living,during his spare time has gone back to his room at 29 Greenwich Avenue to dabble in oil colors and paint coast and rivers scenes that appealed to him.Yesterday he received the first prize in fine arts from the HarmonFoundation....he painted for the fun of it and not because he hoped to win any great appreciation of his efforts.As a young man,Palmer studied at the Cooper Union in New York City and also practiced independent studies at Boothbay Art Colony in Maine.When he was 36,he won $400 and a gold medal for his painting Schooners.He submitted five paintings to the Harmon Arts Foundation.A New York Times headlines reads,"Negro Worker Wins Harmon Prizes:Gold Medal & $400  Awarded to man who Washes Windows to Have Time to Paint."The Harmon Foundation and the commission on race relations of the federal council of churches,which was in charge of the foundation's awards program was making a rather dramatic statement by selecting Palmer's work for the award.The fact that such an award was given to a janitor with very little formal training emphasized how limited the opportunities were for a black at the time.Also,the award launched his career as an artist.Much of his influences came from the environment around him.Palmer enjoyed painting,and used his time in Paris for Over his next five years in Paris,Palmer was very productive,trying to capture elements of Parisian society.On his return to America,Palmer began working for the United States government.His body of work mostly consists of oil and watercolor paintings,also includes /pen/ink drawings.Most art historians agree that his most influential or well-known works would be the ones which reflect African-American folklore.One of the best examples of this is his series of paintings called John Henry.Some people denounced his works as stereotypical and demeaning.Palmer is best known for his African folklorist artwork,his love for land and seascapes is overpowering.Many of his landscape paintings carry a nostalgic/religious significance.Much of his work after Paris focused on the African-American experience.He tried to capture rural life as well as urban backgrounds in New York City.Many of these urban paintings were centered in Harlem.Palmer continued to make contributions until his death.