By Pat Lawrence
Graphic
designer Abby Hayhurst was once accused of operating under the influence
of rampaging whimsy. Happily, she is guilty as charged, a repeat offender
who delights clients and customers with her unique facility for innovation.
Abby's clever imagery and imaginative language are highlights of successful
promotions in virtually every medium in the Mid Ohio Valley. Cotterman
Agency clients quickly acclimate to her quirky, colorful style which
translates into memorable marketing. When Abby lends her considerable
talent to community organizations, their fundraising prospects soar.
"Almost but not quite" a native of Parkersburg, Abby was
eight when she and her mother moved here after her father's death.
At WVUP she took all the courses that interested her, ending up with
associate degrees in art, theatre and English. "I am very right
brained! No math, no science, no book keeping!"
She met her husband, Richard, in 1776, an Actors Guild production.
"He was just out of law school. We needed men for the play and
a friend recruited him." Even though she often misses their anniversary
date - "I really am no good with numbers" - they have been
happily married 26 years.
Her relationship with the Actors Guild is still going strong, too.
"Our drama teacher at PHS took us to the Actors Guild. I discovered
I loved painting walls and making scenery."
Abby actually completed her first mural at age two - with her mother's
cosmetics. "Not my best work, perhaps, but it wasn't bad!"
she says. "I still love to paint walls!"
She doesn't like acting, preferring a role backstage with the scenery
or out front as a director. "It's much better on the sidelines,
applauding." She says directing is like "painting with people.
You create scenes by moving people."
Still, Abby has plenty of performer in her personality.
She has been the mistress of ceremonies for the annual WEALTH banquet
for years and was the first woman honored, for contributions in Arts
and Letters. Her gently wry approach adds a perfect blend of humor
and professionalism to the awards. "My mother writes up all my
impromptu remarks," Abby says. "She's a very good writer.
And, she developed both sides of her brain."
Abby returned to radio in December, taking the 10-2 shift for V96.9.
""I'm the mid -day woman. I was a rock and roll jockey in
my twenties, and still am!" She took to the air almost thirty
years ago when a blizzard kept the regular DJ's snowed in.
"DJ's were supposed to be guys. I did commercials and production.
When the guys couldn't get there, the manager said 'You're on'. It
was great."
Abby insists that she is not creative. She swears "I've never
had an original thought! But, if someone has an idea, I can do something
with it."
"I do consider myself innovative. What makes theater fascinating
is that it requires innovative problem solving. I'm not pro-active.
I'm too lazy for that! But, innovative responses to problems are fun.
I like building things and making things and finding the way around
something."
As a builder and maker, Abby jumped right into the annual Artsbridge
Chairity Auction. "I think of myself as a designer, not an artist,"
Abby says. It may be because designers have more fun. Besides fashioning
ingenious chairs, Abby designed Artie Aardvark for Artsbridge, something
a serious artist might not do. A serious artist might not devise charming
invitations tied with straw for the United Way of the MOV. Or win
awards for all four Christmas trees she helped decorate for last year's
Festival of Trees. The tree her team decorated for St. Joseph's Hospital
won best of show. If Abby is not an artist, she compensates well with
invention and imagination.
Her multi-faceted career doesn't leave the time she'd like for taking
care of her historic 1852 home. "We started our kitchen renovation
last November." It may be the only kitchen in town with a library
ladder, one of those innovative solutions that are the Hayhurst specialty.
Abby, with a passion for cook books and cooking, just hopes to make
a grilled cheese sandwich in her own house soon. In the meantime,
Plato, her 20 year old puppy and constant companion, tolerates store
bought treats.
Plato has had surgery on his back legs and a hip, a corneal transplant
and has a glass eye. He sees three specialists. "If there's a
way to spend money on a dog we haven't discovered, we will!"
Plato responds well to treatment but there seems to be no cure for
Abby's rampaging whimsy. When her painted flamingoes start calling
for a flight of fancy, Abby keeps taking off with them.
