James Hayes

"I use nature, chance, and my emotions as inspiration for my art glass. My art is playful, adventurous, colorful, and distinctive. When I make something, I always begin with the end in mind. However, during the glassmaking process, the design can change."

James Hayes was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He owns and operates the James Hayes Art Glass Company. After earning an art degree from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, in 1988, he sought a new medium to express his artistic talent. Three months later, he discovered glassblowing at the Arkansas Arts Center Museum School. It quickly became his calling in life, a creative avenue for his expression. He has studied glassblowing in Murano, Italy; Columbus, Ohio; and the Pilchuck Glass School near Seattle, Washington. In 1993, he bought his own equipment and formed the James Hayes Art Glass Company. In 1996, he purchased a dairy farm and converted the milking parlor into a hot shop and showroom.

James has had numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States and one in Hong Kong. One of his most memorable displays was A Splash of Glass, held outside at Garvin Gardens in Hot Springs in 2013. Some of his honors include an invitation from the White House to design a Christmas tree ornament; designing the tree topper for the Arkansas State Capitol Christmas tree 2016-2019, and being featured on High Profile in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, in addition to KHTV Channel 11's Everyone has a Story, along with many other news stories. He has been featured in many publications, including the cover of At Home in Arkansas magazine and Southern Living Magazine. He has won the best of media at the Shreveport, Louisiana Red River Revel Arts Festival and best of show at Riverfest in Little Rock, Arkansas. James was given responsibility for designing gifts for the 2003 Lt. Governors Conference and the 2001 Governor's Arts Awards, in addition to designing ornaments for the James Hayes Christmas Tree in the Governor's Mansion in 2007. He was awarded the Hendrix College Odyssey Medal in Artistic Creativity for the 2006-2007 year. His most recent award was first place at the 2019 Annual Delta Visual Art Show. James Hayes's work is available at numerous shops in the Southern region.