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...