Intergalactic Planetary
works by
Carolynn Haydu

Worldmaking is the philosophical and creative process through which people create different versions of reality using symbolic systems like language, art and science.  In Carolynn Haydu’s universe, the infinitesimal and the intergalactic landscapes are uninhabited providing a creative spaces full of hopeful possibilities.

In Haydu’s words, “Created as a direct antidote to the relentless chaos of our contemporary moment, this body of work looks outward and deep within—finding solace in the long view of universal time. Drawing inspiration from terrestrial topographies, geodes, and cosmic structures, these paintings serve as quiet microcosms of enduring natural order.

Each piece is built through a painstaking, meditative process: hand-painting sheets of paper, meticulously hand cutting out organic forms, and collaging them into physical, relief-like layers. In the rhythm of making, the quiet precision of daily life intersects with the vast backdrop of cosmic cycles—a reflection on how this grand, indifferent dance manifests in both the mundane and pivotal moments of our lived experience.

In a world that feels increasingly precarious, these works offer the potential reassuring perspective of cosmic cycles—a reminder that against the vast, spinning background of galaxies and deep earth, our current storms are merely an infinitesimal blip. The cosmos endures, spins on, and holds steady.”

Carolynn Haydu

Biography

Carolynn Haydu is a visual artist whose work explores fluid topography, cosmic scale, and physical relief. Haydu studied art at UC Berkeley and NYU, grounding her practice in both rigorous visual research and expansive material experimentation.

Working primarily with hand-painted, hand-cut paper layered onto wooden tondos and panels, Haydu builds intricate, multi-dimensional collages that bridge terrestrial geography and universal order. Her labor-intensive process—painting individual sheets of paper before meticulously cutting and assembling them into relief-like compositions—serves as a physical reflection on time, patience, and the enduring beauty of natural cycles.

Her work has been featured in major institutions, commercial galleries, and public collections, including exhibitions at Hashimoto Contemporary, the de Young Open, the Institute of Contemporary Art San José, and Metal Haus Gallery. She has completed prominent private and public commissions for Google’s headquarters in Mountain View and the City of Berkeley, and is represented by Milk Moon in Telluride, Colorado. Haydu lives and works in Oakland, California.