My paintings often depict landscapes, which come from the experience of walking or cycling. They are often inspired by sensory and physical experiences, as well as memory and the emotional connections between mind, body and place
Haydn Cottam is a British painter known for landscape works that are often informed by personal experiences of walking or cycling through natural environments. Born in 1959 in Southport, Merseyside, Haydn currently lives on the south coast of England. Alongside his painting career, he has worked in art education for over two decades. He is a Senior Lecturer in Illustration at Westminster University and also teaches at West Dean College, covering subjects such as drawing, print, animation, and narrative image-making.
In works based on the Scottish Highlands and South Wales, Haydn uses geometric elements-such as boxes or window-like shapes-within the composition. These visual devices are intended to reflect how our perception of nature is influenced by modern life and mediated by personal or cultural experience, even when we're physically close to it.
Haydn Cottam studied painting at St. Martin's School of Art in London during the 1980s. After graduating, he worked and exhibited alongside artists such as Gavin Lockheart and Peter Doig in both London and California. He began his career focusing on figurative painting. In 1990, he was commended in the BP Portrait Award, and in 1991 he received the BP Travel Award. He later won the Carroll Foundation Award at the Mall Galleries in 1995. Over time, his interest shifted from figure painting to landscapes, reflecting a personal move away from urban environments toward more open and rural spaces.
Haydn's work has been widely exhibited, including shows in London, Berlin, Cardiff, Los Angeles, and across the UK. His paintings are part of the BBC's National Art Collection.