People
William Heydt was born in 1949 and grew up in New York. He attended the Rhode Island School of Design, where he began visiting Newport and enjoying the ambiance of this historic city. Each year, during the summer months, Heydt traveled to Southern France where he assisted in a printmaking workshop outside of Uzes. After graduation, Heydt moved to France and studied under Stanley William Hayter for two years. While in Paris, he was awarded a studio at La Cité des Arts where he resided for a year. After traveling extensively through Europe and the near East, Heydt returned to the Ocean State to earn a Master of Fine Arts degree at the Rhode Island School of Design where he worked as a graduate assistant. After graduation, Heydt joined the faculty at Massachusetts College of Art and taught there until 1983. Looking for a change, Heydt moved to New York City, where painting and photography became his passion. The vibrancy of urban life provided rich subject matter for an artist that focuses on people and their environment. After twelve years, Heydt has now settled in Newport, Rhode Island where he currently lives with his wife and three children.