The Stories Behind the Art - Arlene LaDell Hayes
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Time to read 3 min
Explore. Discover. Connect.
Making connections is about finding common ground and establishing a shared thread of consciousness. And, we know that behind every great piece of art or jewelry is a story that strengthens those connections. The more we know about the stories behind what we see, the deeper our connection to what we're adorning our lives with. These stories make that piece of art more meaningful. Remember ...
Artists are constantly ...
Exploring new influences and techniques
Discovering something new about themselves and about their artistry
Making connections between personal and cultural history, between traditional and contemporary methods
Art Lovers are always ...
Exploring the works of various artists, new and established
Looking to make a discovery that moves them
Personally connecting to a painting, a sculpture, an intricately handcrafted piece of jewelry
At Sorrel Sky we ...
Value being part of those moments of exploration
Appreciate how it feels to discover something special
Understand the meaning of connections
This segment of our continuing series, The Stories Behind the Art, delves into the Star Traveler series by Arlene LaDell Hayes. If you missed the blogs that focused on Loren Nicole, Robert Rivera, Bryce Pettit, and Roberto Ugalde, here are some quick links!
Explorer. Dreamer. Painter.
Born in the Texas panhandle, Arlene LaDell Hayes found her childhood imagination fueled by the austere landscapes and spare beauty of her surroundings. During her adolescent years, Arlene moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico where her career as an artist began in earnest. Initially working as a sculptor, she mastered the human form in three dimensions. Later, she turned to painting, developing the stylization and abstraction of form that she is renowned for.
Arlene LaDell Hayes stays busy exploring, dreaming, living, and painting in a small village northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her abstract stylizations offer us a glimpse into her inner journeys.
“I have been working as an artist since 1979. As Oscar Wilde said, 'Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.' When I first read that I knew exactly what he meant. There are so many ways to express yourself and so many mediums to do it with."
Arlene LaDell Hayes talks about her Star Traveler Series ...
“Departing Taos, New Mexico on a Greyhound bus, the sun had gone down several hours earlier, and I received my first real live vision at the age of fourteen. Relaxed enough, in a big soft seat, my mind begins to slow down enough to rest. Not being awake nor asleep, the space between is when it began.
"A creature appeared, walking across in front of me, like an unexpected movie just starting with no warning. He had large black eyes, an overly large head with a slit for a mouth. His limbs were long and slim, and his hands had long fingers. He was white, which made his eyes stand out. He was moving along at a slow, lumbering pace. Turning his head he looked straight at me. Oh no. I knew that he saw me, and I knew that he knew that I saw him. Seeing him was something which was not to have taken place, but it did. He didn’t appear angry, just somewhat annoyed that I had seen him. Then slowly turning his head back, and looking ahead, he continued to walk.
"My body came flying out of my seat, jarring me back to the reality of a dark bus with fellow passengers staring at me with distrust. Realizing no one else had seen him was enough for me to keep my mind completely alert with no possibility of rest for the remainder of the ride. Growing up in small towns in the Texas Panhandle, I had never had such experiences and now knew something that can’t be explained.
"On my return home, I made my first sketch of him. To this day, I remember the feeling of fear and wonder which came on that ride. It has been part of my work in one way or another for years.” — Arlene LaDell Hayes
