Profile:
Maria Hayes has shown work in galleries and at live events across the UK since 1986.
Her main practice is drawing. She is regularly commissioned to devise and deliver workshops, training and longer courses in schools, arts and gallery education.

Currently engaged in a practice based PhD (Fine Art) at Aberystwyth University, she explores the territory between analogue and digital methods of mark making.

Hayes’s work is in private and public collections nationally and internationally.

Statement:
In 2008 I began a practice based PhD at Aberystwyth University. Could we lose something vital from our culture in the digital age? Or is it a time of exciting opportunities? Can virtual technologies replace the hand made object? What implications could this have for the way we understand the world and express ourselves?

I combine digital imaging and observational drawing to explore the essential qualities of both. By mapping the way across the digital divide I seek to connect past traditions with present and future image making. How can the reality of the body be reconciled with imaginative, virtual worlds?

See more about my PhD practice research here.

Working with musicians, dancers, performers, storytellers and poets, I seek out the enriching challenge of collaboration.

Qualifications
1985 BA (Hons) Fine Art (1st Class) Portsmouth Polytechnic
Thesis: ‘Time Will Tell’ a comparison study on ancient stone circles and contemporary land art.

1986 MA Theatre Studies Leeds University
Thesis: ‘The Theory and the Practice’ a study on devising and directing a new piece of work combining sculpture, drawing and physical theatre. The resulting piece ‘Body Works’ was performed at The Workshop Theatre, Leeds.

Key Skills:
• Communicator: I am an articulate and energetic communicator.
• Creative: I have generated a large body of artwork as a professional artist, alone and in collaboration with others. I continually hone and develop my creative and technical skills.
• Organizational: I am systematic in my documentation of projects and work, and reliable in the routine running of my own business and other work duties.
• IT: Word, Excel, Power Point, Entourage, Photoshop, Digital imaging and web use. I have experience of both Mac and PC systems.
• Mentoring: I mentor other artists and educators in both official and unofficial capacities.
• Training: I regularly devise and deliver training courses to artists, teachers and other groups in the education, creative and health sectors.
• Educational: I devise and deliver educational projects nationwide, and have worked in a freelance capacity for a number of high profile companies (including London Contemporary Dance Education and Outreach Team, Wales Millennium Centre Education Outreach and ENGAGE, National Organisation for Gallery Education) as well as for schools, colleges, universities and community venues.
• Leadership: I have experience of leading projects, managing teams of creative workers and project management.
• Team player: I also work well as a team player. I can be flexible and responsive.
• Entrepreneur: Self-employed since 1986, I adapt my skills and sensibilities in a rapidly changing sector. Experienced in Marketing, Budget, Project Management, and Networking.

Selected Exhibitions: Solo Shows and Performances

2011   Shedding Skins School of Art Gallery – Aberystwyth University
2011   Busnoys and Maria Hayes – Tallguy Live Music Night, Egham
2010   In Concert performance School of Art Gallery – Aberystwyth University
2009   Skin Deep (performance) – Riverfront Arts Centre, Newport
2008   Long Walks – MOMA  Y Tabernacle, Machynlleth
2007   In The Moment – Oriel Mostyn @ Venu Cymru
2006/7 Vesica Piscis (performance) – Jersey Arts Centre/Theatre Ardudwy, Harlech /Diversions Dance House, Cardiff
2005   Telling Tales – Bleddfa Arts Centre, Bleddfa
2004   Telling Tales – Mid-Pennine Gallery, Burnley
2004   Witness  – Theatre Ardudwy, Harlech
2003   Face to Face - Wrexham Arts Centre, Wrexham
2002   Destinations - Royal International Pavilion, Llangollen
2001   Motion of Tenderness – Studio 8, Ruthin Craft Centre, Ruthin
2001   Private Lives (performance with Volcano Theatre Company) - Theatre Ardudwy, Harlech
2000  New Eyes – Stoke  City Art Gallery and touring venues in Shrewsbury and Telford
2000  Eclipse – Theatre Mwldan, Cardigan
1999  Woman Walking – Oriel Davies, Newtown
1999  Living Forms – Oriel Davies, Newtown
1998  Energy in Flight – New Library Gallery, Kidderminster
1997  Sound Pictures (performance with Dangerous Kitchen) - Turtle Key Arts Centre, Fulham, London
1995  Oasis - Oriel Y Ddraig, Blaenau Ffestiniog
1994  Rings of Stone, Walls of Silence – Stockport Art Gallery, Stockport
1991  Nesting Instinct – York City Art Gallery, York
1991  In the Eye of the Storm – Thomas St Arts Centre, Halifax
1990  No Turning Back – Posterngate Gallery, Hull
1989  Phoenix and Rima (performance with Phoenix Dance Co) – Leeds City Art Gallery, Leeds.
1988  Between Bones - Leeds City Art Gallery, Leeds
1986  Body Works (performance) – Workshop Theatre, Leeds

Work in public and private collections, UK and international.

Selected Exhibitions: Group Shows

2010  Gwawr Gwaith Powder video -  Gwaith Powdwr Arts and Environment Festival, Penrhyndeudreath
2008  M G Payne, Maria Hayes and Mari Wells  - Galeri, Betwys Y Coed
2008  Tory Selkies  - Tory island, Donegal
2008  Screen Diva (Tone Line Colour: video) – Chester Film Festival
2007  Body Echoes  - Oriel Canfas, Cardiff
2006  Lorient Celtic Fair – Lorient, Brittany
2005  Ambiente - Tokyo, Japan
2004  Focal - Various Venues, Ruthin
2003  Wales Drawing Biennale - Touring venues, Wales
2002  Summer Show - Royal Cambrian Academy, Conwy
2001  Journey - Oriel Ynys Mon, Langefni
2000  Thresholds of Being(performance) – RSAMD, Glasgow
2000  Harlech International Biennale - Harlech
1999  Wales Drawing Biennale - Touring venues, Wales
1999  Summer Open - MOMA, Y Tabernacle, Machynlleth
1998  Expressions - Ogilvy and Estil Gallery, Conwy
1997  Wales Drawing Biennale  - Touring venues, Wales
1997  Body Traces - Touring venues, Shropshire
1995  Local Voices - Flour Shed Gallery, Porthmadog
1993  Summer Show - Bangor Art Gallery, Bangor
1990  Made on Earth - Piece Hall Art Gallery, Halifax
1990  Paper: Five Artists - Piece Hall Art Gallery, Halifax
1989  Maria Hayes and Gary Waters - University Gallery, Leeds
(Works purchased for collection)

Awards

2010  Travel grant: Drawing with light. Research trip to Sweden and Finland, Wales Arts International
2009  Masterclass: Women’s Arts Association. To direct a short film “Skin Deep”
2008  Scholarship: To undertake 3 year PhD (practice based) Aberystwyth University
2008  Shedding Skins: Project grant Arts Council of Wales to undertake a Celtic Pilgrimage and create work inspired by the Selkie stories.
2007  Masterclass: Women’s Arts Association- To create a performance drawing DVD with filmmaker and dancer. (“Tone Line Colour”. 10mins)
2006  Project Grant: “Vesica Piscis” Arts Council of Wales: Collaborative project with Paul Davies (dancer).
1997  Travel Grant Arts Council of Wales: to draw the Whirling Dervishes, Konya, Turkey.
1993  Masterclass Grant Arts Council of Wales: to work with David Nash
1990  First prize: Wakefield Pavement Art Competition Public Art

Commissions

2009  7 Pictures Album design for Martin Pyne’s “7 Pictures”
2008  Gwynedd Council Design for cover of Health and Well Being Strategy document 2008-2011
2007  Blue Eyed Soul Dance Co Logo design
2007  NEWD Images for training report
2006  The Partnering Initiative Commissioned to draw the conference and participate in generating material for publication “Talking the Walk”
2004  Mid Pennine Arts (LAND project) “Long Walks” Drawing commission,
2003  ALISS (Artist and Learning Information Support Service). Five Prints for website
2002  Volcano Theatre Co. “Unfinished Business” Site-specific performance project at Swansea Museum.
2002  Matilda Leyser Commissioned to draw aerialist in rehearsal for performance of “Nightfall”.
Performed at Battersea Arts Centre
1999  Shropshire County Council and West Midlands Arts “New Eyes” Commission for three paintings. Combined with a residency to produce three paintings with schools.
1998  Shropshire County Council “Four Seasons” Commission for four drawings.

Board work

2002 – 2004 Arts Training Wales
I represented the Visual Arts and Crafts sector for Wales.
I had responsibility for chairing nationwide seminars and an on-line forum for the sector to assess and discuss training needs. The outcomes were relayed to the Sector Skills Council and presented at national conference.

2001 – 2001 Dawns I Bawb (Dance for All)

Artist / Educator.
I have devised and delivered many projects nationwide, they fall into the following categories:

Artist-in-Residence (1987 – present):
Using my work as a starting point to create drawings, sculpture and installations with children and students. Planning and delivering high quality workshops in 2 and 3 dimensions.
Primary, Secondary, Higher Ed. Special Needs and Gallery Open workshops.
Venues include: Schools and colleges nationwide
Oriel Davies, Newtown
Oriel Mostyn, Llandudno

Gallery Workshops (1986 – present): Creative responses to exhibitions.
Sculpture, printmaking, drawing, painting and performance.
Primary, Secondary, Special Needs, Students and Adults.
Venues include: Leeds City Art Gallery
Manchester City Art Gallery
York City Art Gallery
British Art Show (Manchester)

London Contemporary Dance Trust Residencies (1987 – 1997)
One-week projects combining dance, art and music, working with a theme connected to the schools curriculum and culminating in a performance.
Projects took place at schools across the country – from Glasgow to Penzance.
Special Needs and Primary. Worked in a team with a dancer and musician.

Combined Arts Projects (1986 – present)
Devising performances, residencies and workshops linking up with other artists.
E.g.: Theatre Iolo, Rambert Dance Company, Michael Harvey (storyteller), Dangerous Kitchen (Jazz musicians), Rhian Robbins (dancer), Stacey Blythe (musician), Gillian Clarke (poet).
Collaboration projects include
The Firebird for the Wales Millennium Centre
Vesica Piscis workshops: Ysgol Eifion Wyn, Jersey Arts Centre Youth Theatre and Theatre Ardudwy, Harlech.

Artist Led Courses (1995-present)
Adult education: from Life Drawing Masterclasses at Oriel Mostyn to annual weekend courses at Trigonos, Nantlle (see www.trigonos.org for latest course details).

Integrated Projects (1988 – 1995)
Performance projects with the Arts Connection, Portsmouth, linking Performing Arts students with Special Needs adults from local centres.

Arts Venture Courses (1997-2000)
I was a founding member of the Arts Venture group. We successfully applied for funding and ran a comprehensive programme of subsidized art-based courses for the local community at CLAS (Centre for Living Arts and Sciences), Tremadog.

Mentoring and Training
2006 – 2008
Commissioned to mentor Anna Falcini, Fine Artist.
Hereford Creative Industries.

Artist Training (1996 – present)
“Facilitating Arts Workshops”: Theory and practice – how to successfully deliver aesthetic and educational aims. Two-day course.
Delivered at venues across England and Wales including Gwynedd Arts Agency, Wrexham Arts Centre, Cardiff Agency for Arts in Education and Hereford Creative Industries.

“The Bigger Picture” One-day training course for artists and craftspeople on being self-employed.
Delivered across Wales and England including Stoke City Creative Industries, Hereford Creative Industries, Welsh College of Music and Drama, Arts Training Wales.

Consultant Artist 2003-4
Consultant Artist on the ALISS project. (Artists and Learning Information and Support Service). Devised and led combined arts residencies offering training to five artists on two residencies.
“Conference of the Birds” with Chitraleka Bolar. Primary in Walsall. Three trainees.
“Water, water everywhere” with Rachel Freeman (Blue Eyed Soul Dance Co). Integrated project Special Needs and Secondary Schools in Shrewsbury.

Teacher Training (1987 – present)
I have devised, developed and delivered training days in arts education to teachers in a variety of settings ranging from INSET days, staff meetings (practical) and evening courses to weekend staff development training. Nationwide.
Primary, Secondary, Sixth-form, Special Needs.

Recent educational projects include:

2010 Drawing with Light Three-day artist-in-residence at Bruntcliffe High School, Leeds. Working with sixth form students on developing work using digital projection techniques for their portfolios. Many of the students involved received offers of places at Art College with this work noted as important to their application. Sixth-form students

2009/2010 Criw Celf workshops with local gifted and talented young artists on digital performance drawing Groups age 7-14

2008/2009 Beyond Wordplay Visual response to traditional fairy tales – we made books with only images. Each school worked on one story and the work was made into a book. The schools received a copy of the other stories. Eight books were made in all. Year 1 and Reception.
Various schools across Swansea and Neath Port Talbot
Swansea Arts in Education

2007 Vesica Piscis workshops and performance at Theatre Ardudwy, Harlech
“I would like to thank you for three wonderful days. We’ll never forget you.” Owen (yr 5) Year 5, Ysgol Eifion Wyn. DVD available of project

2007 Guest Lecturer on Vesica Piscis with tutorials
“The best guest lecturer we have had for years”
Paul Jeff (Lecturer Fine Art)
“Very stimulating” (student) MA Students Fine Art University Glamorgan Swansea

Employment History

2007
Education Manager (Outreach) Wales Millennium Centre (Full-time – 4 months)
Devising, managing and delivering educational projects – Wales wide remit.
I left due to a disagreement on a matter of principle.

2001-2002 and 2004-2006
Cultural Enterprise Arts Business Mentor North West Wales. (Part-time)
Key duties:
• Responding to clients mentoring and information needs
• Maintaining records and database
• Liaising with other relevant agencies
Cultural Enterprise provides business support to Wales-based cultural businesses.
I also mentor other artists in an unofficial capacity.

1994 – 1999
Personal and studio assistant to David Nash (Part-time)
Key responsibilities:
• General administration
• Systematizing and cataloging of work
• Organizing “Student Days”
• Assisting in the drawing studio
• Curating shows
• Liaising with major galleries and preparing for exhibitions worldwide
• Installing sculpture in public venues in the UK and in Sweden.
• Assisting on two publications of his work,
“The Sculpture of David Nash” by Julian Andrews (pub: Lund Humphries)
“Forms Into Time” with an essay by Marina Warner (pub: Academy Editions)

Fine Art Lecturing (visiting)
2010  University of Wales, Bangor and Aberystwyth University
2007  University of Glamorgan, Swansea
2001 – 2007  University of Wales, Bangor
1998 – 2001  University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield
2000  Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow
1998  Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, Dolgellau
1998  North East Wales Institute, Wrexham
1993  Chester College, Chester
1992  Falmouth College of Art and Design, Falmouth
1990 – 1991  Leeds University, Leeds
1988 – 1989  Leeds Polytechnic, Leeds
1988 – 1989  Portsmouth Polytechnic

Catalogues and Publications:
‘Talking the Walk’ Sue McManus Ros Tennyson Illustrated by Maria Hayes The Partnering Initiative 2008 Communication manual
ISBN: 1899159142

Telling Tales Maria Hayes Mid Pennine Arts 2004 Exhibition catalogue

The Bigger Picture Maria Hayes Hereford County Council 2003 Workbook to accompany course

Artists Facilitator Training Maria Hayes Gwynedd Arts Agency 2003 Notes to accompany course

The Bigger Picture Maria Hayes Welsh College of Music and Drama and Arts Training Wales 2002 Workbook to accompany course

Maria Hayes Essay by Jill Piercy Studio 8 Ruthin Craft Centre 2001 ISBN: 1 900941 47 3

Taith/Journey Intro by Maria Hayes Oriel Ynys Mon 2001 Exhibition catalogue

Wales Drawing Biennale Intro by Len Massey Aberystwyth Arts Centre Wrexham Arts Centre 2002/
2003 ISBN: 1 872609 92 9

Decade Intro by Philip Hughes Ruthin Craft Centre 2002 ISBN: 1 900941 52 X

Art Biennale 2000 Catalogue Harlech Biennale 2000 Exhibition catalogue

Wales Drawing Biennale Essay by Jacqueline Morreau Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Wrexham Arts Centre 1999/
2000 ISBN: 0 9525529 9 X

Artists in Schools Dick Downing Leeds Education Publications 1996 ISBN: 0 9508029 2 1

In Touch With Dance Marion Gough Whitethorn Books 1993 ISBN: 1 873783 01 9

TV:

Double Yellow (Wales Arts magazine programme) BBC Wales October 2001 -Feature on new work for solo exhibition at Studio 8, Ruthin. Interviewed by Raki Ayola, Directed by Catrin Mair Thomas

Interviewed on “David Nash: From Capel Rhiw to the World” HTV October 1998. Directed by Pete Telfor

Selected Press Coverage

2007  The Big issue 10 things to do: “In the Moment” exhibition
2006  Metro (South Wales) “Capture the Moment” by P Anderson. Article with large image on “Vesica Piscis”
2006  www.theatre-wales.co.uk “Vesica Piscis” Review by Michael Kelligan
2004  Antiques Magazine Issue 989 The Art on Paper Fair (listing and illustration of my work)
2003  Daily Post (National Wales Daily) “Help our artists make the most of their talent” David Jones (report with photo on my conference speech for Arts Training Wales)
2001  Daily Post (National Wales Daily) “Capturing the Spirit of the Moment” by Helen Harper (article with images on my work and forthcoming exhibition)
2001  Western Mail (National Wales Daily) “Creating pictures full of energy” by Jill Piercy (article with images on my work and exhibition)
1999  Daily Post (National Wales Daily) “Opening Night: Maria Hayes, Woman Walking, at Oriel 31, Newtown” by Celia Lucas (article with images on my exhibition)
1998  The Western Mail (National Wales Daily) “Seeking the artist in everyone” by Rian Evans (article with image on my work)
1996  Henry Moore Institute Newsletter “Sixth form portfolio day and teacher training” by Maria Hayes (article on my interpretation work with David Nash’s exhibition “Line of Cut” at Henry Moore Institute, Leeds
1990  The Yorkshire Post (Yorkshire Daily) “Stimulating Sense of Discovery” by Tony Phillips (article on my exhibition and community projects)
1990  The Yorkshire Post (Yorkshire Daily) Posterngate Gallery Hull: “No Turning Back” Sculptures by Maria Hayes. By JMC (article on exhibition)
1990  Hull Magnet (magazine) Full-page front cover image of my work with exhibition listing inside.
1990  The Yorkshire Post (Yorkshire Daily) Piece Hall Art Gallery, Halifax: Made On Earth by MS. Review of group exhibition.
1989  The Yorkshire Post (Yorkshire Daily) Art Movement. Article with image on my collaboration with Phoenix Dance Co at Leeds City Art Gallery.

“Maria Hayes’ work is full of a graphic energy which is physical. Movement is, almost literally, expressed through the energy of her own body as it makes marks on her chosen media.The consistency in her work is a kind of handwriting, a line and gesture which recurs in different themes and projects.”
Mike Tooby.
Director of Learning, National Museums and Galleries of Wales.