What does a typical day look like for you?

I go to the workshop every day. I have worked on my own for many years, and when Sarah went out to work full time, there would be days where I didn’t speak to anyone! That all changed when she started to work less hours and mainly from home. For the last few years, we’ve gone out first thing for a coffee and twalk (talking and walking) on the beach. By the time we have done this, shared coffee and lunch together, it doesn’t leave many hours for work. This isn’t the case coming up to an exhibition of course though, when I usually get so involved in what I am doing, I forget about mealtimes completely.

What is your favourite material to work with?

I don’t have one favourite, as I love working with a variety of materials. I work in wood, stainless steel, corten steel, cast steel, carbon fibre and bronze. I’m always trying something new. Generally I can make it work somehow but if there is a better way, I’ll try to find it. I frequently think “I’ve cracked it” and then the next day find out that I haven’t — this tends to inspire me. I drive my suppliers insane asking them questions about paints, glues, products, machines and deflect the constant question that they ask me “what do you want to do with it” by saying “not the usual”. There is almost nothing “usual” about anything that I do. People ask me “how long did it take you to make that” and my answer is “a lifetime of experimentation”.

You’re married to Sarah Haydon, who has worked in finance for many years and was recently awarded a Queen’s Birthday award. How has your wife impacted your work? 

From the day we met, Sarah has been my biggest supporter. She encouraged me to show my sculptures, when I had not been brave enough to show anyone. We’ll never know, but I might not have had the career I’ve had, if I hadn’t met her. Sarah was the initial driving force and is an integral part of my practice. The best thing of all is that she is good at what has always stressed me out — the finance and the logistics — so she does all that allowing me just to focus on making the art. I realise how lucky I am to have Sanderson as my agent, my daughter Francee running my website, and Sarah doing everything else.

Sarah has her own career as a company director and I was so proud of her when she was recently honoured as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for over 25 years volunteer work with Riding for the Disabled.

Sarah, what is it like being married to an artist?

In many ways I would think it’s no different from being married to someone who is passionate about what they do, whatever their thing is. Ray chatters away telling me how he is developing some new sculpture or tool; his the latest experiment in stains or oils, or some item he has seen that he cannot live without (how many chisels can a man possibly need?)

He can make or fix anything, so its been excellent being married to someone who will deal to more or-less any issue around the house! I have a secret list of “things for Ray to do” which I can bring to mind at a moment’s notice, if a window of opportunity arises, when I can get him away from his latest artwork or boat project.

Can you tell us a bit about your house and the parts that Ray has worked on?

The house was built about 20 years ago and features wooden posts and beams throughout that came from the old Devonport Wharf. Built into the slope of the land, we are nestled below the prevailing westerly winds with a stunning view of Kawau Island. Completely renovated in our first year here, Ray has added many individual touches including oak handrails, carbon-fibre/iron oxide light shades and bronze door handles. Being a fine woodworker, Ray has made a lot of the furniture — American white oak dining chairs, side tables and mirrors. There is a lot of art in the house — both Ray’s and other New Zealand artists — and his model boats and cannon.

How long have you both lived in Sandspit and had your sculpture garden?

We are lucky enough to have lived in Sandspit for seven years. We are in a large area of native bush overlooking hundreds of mature Kauri trees.

The house renovation and driveway replacement essentially took us back to square one on the gardens surrounding the house, so we had a blank canvas to work with in this part of the landscape. All the garden work has been done by the two of us — hauling tonnes of steel, rock, earth and plants. We’ve built steps, pathways and plinths allowing placement of Ray’s bigger sculptures.

Sanderson has led tours around your sculpture garden in the summer months. What have these been like?

Busy! Supposedly restricted to 30 per tour group, I don’t think there have ever been less than 40 in each, with the last sculpture tour weekend topping out at around 170 visitors over the two days. It was a lot of fun, the weather was great, so people enjoyed the sun, house, garden and sculptures.

After the last tour it took us a while to build up the outdoor collection again and we still have a couple of spots to refresh before next spring when we expect to host the next event. Our biggest problem can be getting the men out of the workshop, they tend to linger in what is a ‘dream man cave’.

Ray, can you tell us a bit about your exhibition that has just opened at Sanderson?

For every exhibition I try to do at least three things…. continue my current main series of work, demonstrate a development in another series, and include a new idea that may develop into a future series.

The main body of work in the exhibition continues my current series of ribbon-like forms in carbon fibre, timber and corten steel. A new development in an existing series is Voyage III — I was keen to try the iron oxide finish in this series — the biggest challenge for this was turning the work constantly while the iron oxide cured on the work. It was worth it though and I think this piece is one of the most successful Voyage pieces that I have made. 

My new idea has been going round in my head for a year or more — pieces in solid timber rather than veneer, and titled ‘Drift’. This series was inspired by an older work of mine that I came across, which I had made about 15 years ago with the same name. The works look like drift wood collected at the beach and have a flow, like waves folding over one another. I’m looking forward to getting feedback on how these are received.

What are some of your career highlights to date?

I love making beautiful things and enjoy seeing the pleasure my artworks bring to other people. As a jeweller and silversmith in the days before mass machine produced products, I excelled at detailed work. I moved into making things for superyachts for some time and really enjoyed that. I never thought I could be a full-time artist but it happened, and I pinch myself sometimes when I realise that is my life now.

We were so excited when Sanderson sold the first piece I sent them — a bronze called ‘Advance’ — in 2005. Then I got the surprise chance to put on my first exhibition in early 2006 — one of their artists couldn’t complete their exhibition work as they had been injured, and I only had two months to get it all ready. Everything sold in the first week, it was amazing, and I never looked back. I transitioned to being a full-time artist as soon as I could.

Tell us one thing we wouldn’t know about you already?

Life has been complicated over the last year by prostate cancer. A chance discussion with my doctor led to detection before it was too late. Surgery and recovery meant I could only do very light work during a four-month period. Some of the smaller pieces in my new exhibition — the Twist series — were made during this time. I’m in the all clear now but wish I had taken more notice of the signs. Men need to take more care of their health!