About the Artist
Most artists prefer to just create art rather than talk about themselves, that includes me. I’m more of an observer and prefer not to be in the limelight but I realize the importance of making my story known to those who may take an interest in my art. Let me start by saying, for me, painting is almost the best form of creating. With some simple tools and a surface you can pretty much create something from nothing. I love that!
Childhood: I grew up in rural Pennsylvania in an average American family with five kids. I was the quiet one. After school, I spent time riding horses, nurturing all sorts of other critters, singing with my sisters, and drawing. I still have a great love of horses and a particular fondness for the Arabian horse. When I was growing up, we had an Arabian mare and a half-Arab stallion, among other breeds. My parents were horse people and they taught me to ride and care for horses. Our home stood on about eight acres with a garage that was converted into a small barn. Nothing fancy, but horses were just part of our daily life.
Balance: Artists enjoy a reputation for being wild and flighty, but I must have gotten a healthy dose of the practical gene in my DNA. My magical superpower is being an artsy, spiritual, creative person and a down-to-earth, practical person at the same time. I have moments of impulsivity, but I wouldn’t say I’m prone to go off the rails. I don’t ever feel like I’m missing out on any wild adventures. I’m very happily married and live in a beautiful community near Phoenix, Arizona. My life is fun and rich in love.
Multi-potentialite: Choosing one pursuit for an entire lifetime could get awfully boring. I’ve come to appreciate the fact that I’m a multi-passionate artist with the desire and potential to venture into many areas that interest me—and I’m not going to beat myself up about it (those days are over.) Now, I accept it as a strength. Skills can be brought from nearly every artistic experience into the studio when painting.
Personality: My son, Karl, became super-interested in the study of personalities, so he encouraged me to take the temperament test in the book Please Understand Me II. The test revealed my personality. I’m the Artisan Composer or ISFP. Basically, I’m all about the process of creating. The process is the fun part; the end product is somewhat secondary in the mind of the Artisan Composer type. I create because I enjoy the process. If I’m not drawing or painting, I might be soldering jewelry, building a fence, or sewing a pillow cover. The “I” in ISFP stands for introvert. I created a sign, “Will socialize if coffee or wine is served.” I wouldn’t call myself shy. Introverts are often labeled as shy, when really they are just energized more by being alone—reading, learning, thinking and creating.
Painter: When I was a kid, I wanted to be an artist or a veterinarian. I loved animals but eventually realized there could be blood and guts in animal care. Art can also be messy (thankfully without the blood) so I chose to study fine art at York Academy of Arts in Pennsylvania. Figure drawing was a favorite class—and painting.
Singer: As a kid, I developed my love for vocals while singing along to LP records in my room—from The Supremes, to Cat Stevens, to David Bowie, and other artists from the 60s and 70s. I managed to learn a little piano and a few guitar chords, but I’ve forgotten most of that—my voice was, and still is my musical strength. In my 20s, I sang in a duo, then with a piano lounge act performing Broadway show tunes and jazz in Atlantic City, New Jersey. After that, I sang in a trio with an eclectic mix of three-part-harmony music and eventually became the lead vocalist in a rock band. It was surreal for my family to see me performing in front of an audience—they still had me labeled as “shy.” Yes, I’m an introvert, but I learned to step out of the background when I need to. “Just do it,” as they say.
Jewelry Designer & Craftswoman: In 1995, I became a juried member of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen. That was after a few years of self-study and workshops that helped me learn to set stones and design jewelry using silver and gold. I’ve let this become a back-burner activity now, since I’m focused on painting. I still love my workbench and hand tools. There’s no such thing as a quick trip to the hardware store; I’ll wander the isles with no particular item in mind, assessing tools as I scan the shelves. Drives my husband crazy when he wants to get in and get out in a hurry.
Recovering Graphic Designer: Graphic design in the corporate world was interesting, lucrative and fulfilling for many years but with my focus on painting, I’ve stepped away from the computing machine—except of course for working on my website and designing book covers. The website could be a never-ending project.
Photoshop Guru: Fun with Photoshop was a bright spot in my graphic design career, with the exception of those stints where I had to retouch dozens of car seats and vitamin bottles. Photoshop is still a very useful gadget for any artist!
Dreamer: Since you’ve read this far, I will reveal one more thing. I was raised as an atheist. In my 40s I began searching for God… or some form of spiritual guidance. After not finding answers in the many books I was reading on different faiths, I eventually became a believer in Jesus. It’s a long story, so I won’t tell it here. Now, I’ve learned much more about the supernatural aspects of faith. I’ve witnessed many healing miracles, including a few of my own. I’ve come to understand the directive, sometimes prophetic nature of our dreams and learned a bit about how to interpret dreams—and I’ve filled stacks of journals with dreams I’ve had since 2008. I’ve also had a number of (what some would call bizarre) spiritual experiences that have helped me grasp the reality of an unseen spiritual world. (Cue the spooky music.) My husband is an author on the topic of faith and the supernatural. It’s good to be on this spiritual adventure with him.
Explore my original paintings via this link: https://denisehayesstudio.com/shop/
CUSTOM PRINT REPRODUCTIONS of my paintings are available on canvas or paper, framed or unframed, in various sizes. To see print choices click this link: http://denisehayes.imagekind.com and click on fineprints.