Hayden Hays Gallery

Biography

Born in Colorado, Paul grew up in Denver’s Park Hill neighborhood. Around age ten his family bought a small cabin on Upper Bear Creek west of Evergreen and summers were spent mostly in the mountains. Hiking through the woods, climbing nearby peaks and often just sitting and looking at Mount Evans, Mt. Warren, and other members of the Colorado’s Back Range. These images and many others greatly impressed young Paul and were beginning to sift ever deeper into his consciousness. Around the same time a curiosity and fascination with photography began to develop. A camera (his first a simple box camera) joined Paul as an almost constant companion. Mountains, meadows, geologic formations, mining towns, historic structures, and native plants became subject matter. With a camera to his eye, light, shade, shadow, texture, color and a sense of composition began to develop, and further a sense of place and history evolved in his mind. Memories were laid down, and, over time, a collection of Colorado images took shape and a deep appreciation of the beauty and the wonderful diversity of the Colorado landscape grew. In 2004, a life long desire was finally answered when he began the study of watercolor painting.