S T A T E M E N T
“As a child, I remember watching black and white Popeye cartoons (Syndicated reruns. I’m not THAT old!) and being fascinated by the detailed backgrounds. I wanted to be an artist who drew those. That led to a stage where I wanted to work as a Disney animator, creating elaborately detailed backgrounds and scenes. As I grew up, my obsession with cartooning and animation diminished, but my interest in drawing detailed, realistic images remained.
Today, as an artist, I enjoy getting lost in the details of whatever I’m creating. While not a ‘hyper-realist,’ I prefer to work in a tight, realistic style using colored pencils, pastels, graphite and charcoal. My pieces may take many hours (or days, or weeks) to complete, but I find the process to be quite meditative. And the end result, in my mind, is worth the time and effort.
My work almost always includes animals and nature, sometimes in a whimsical way, sometimes more thought-provokingly. When observing animals, we can often see ourselves.”
-Colin Hayes
Colin Hayes spent much of his childhood with a crayon or pencil in hand, creating images. Unlike most kids, though, he never stopped drawing.
His dad was a private pilot, and while on a flight with him, Colin "illustrated" the entire instrument cluster of the airplane during the flight, at the age of 5.
When Colin was 13, his dad pulled some strings and got him into a college art class at William Jewel College, in Liberty, MO. It was an experience that made a permanent impact on him. It was the first time he thought he might just have a future in art.
Being a member of the Art Honor Society in high school, as well as winning the Most Artistic award in his senior class further fueled those artistic ambitions. He graduated from the Art Institute of Seattle in 1989, and after a few years at a small design firm and as a staff artist at a local newspaper, he embarked on a freelance illustration career. After 30+ years as a professional illustrator, he has redirected his focus toward creating his own work.
In his free time (when there IS free time), he enjoys kayaking, hiking, cycling, bird watching and playing bass on his church's worship team.
B I O
The Early Years
AWARDS & HONORS
Tishomingo Arts Council, Annual Competition, 2023: First Place - "Beauty & Neglect"
Art Fluent online gallery, Animalia, Apr. 2023: Finalist - "Safe Space"
SHADES OF GREEN 2023, CAMELBACK GALLERY
International Juried VISUAL ARTS Exhibition: Silver Award - "Beauty & Neglect"
SHADES OF RED 2023, CAMELBACK GALLERY
International Juried Art Exhibition: Finalist - "Family Time"
EXHIBITIONS
SOLO: SpringHill Suites (by Marriott), Coeur d'Alene, ID, June-July 2023
Colin is now a Member Artist at Pottery Place Plus, in downtown Spokane, where he sells prints, cards, postcards and stickers.
