volume 1 number 1

I want to welcome you to my periodic newsletter! I hope you will find it informative and enjoyable. If you would liket to be added to my mailing list, send me a message requesting that.

I am William Hays. I live and work in Brattleboro, Vermont. My wife (Patricia Long) and I own and operate The Artist's Loft B&B and Gallery. The winter is finally here. I think we have had about eight or nine snowfalls so far. The Connecticut River froze over in one night this year. We have been getting some pretty chilly nights. But with the snow comes a cozy feeling that we love. There is something about long pants, hats, leather and down coats that we find comforting. More than that, Vermont looks very much like a Currier and Ives print. If you'd like to take a look at an animated sweep of our view in the winter, click here.

Here's are my latest works in oils.

   "Nina"  Oil on Panel  16" x 23"

I don't need to tell you that this is a darling little girl! The portrait was done very recently and has a softness and glow that I very much enjoy.
 

   "Silver Coast"  Oil on Panel  16" x 23"

This summer we spent several weeks on the far "Down East" coast of Maine. This painting is from a typically foggy morning near the eastern-most point in the U.S. - West Quoddy Head. The cliffs, northern forest and endless ocean are continually a source of inspiration for me. I am particularly drawn to the constant changes in light and atmosphere in the mornings.
 

   "Bay Blues"  Oil on Panel  11" x 24"

The limited palette of a foggy, late afternoon appealed to my aesthetic sense. The strong horizontal composition is broken up with the vertical rising and falling of the pier, the light poles and the far shoreline. The painting has a strong atmospheric feeling that conveys (I think) the feeling of still, quiet and muted light.
 

   "Dwayne and Sisters"  Oil on Canvas  28" x 38"

As you can see, I am rather taken by more coastal subjects lately. This painting is the result of another summer trip to Nova Scotia. The ports and villages along the coast are very beautiful and attract my eye endlessly.

    "Still Blue Night"  Oil on Panel 16" x 23"

Finally, here is a Vermont scene for those of you who may be questioning whether I really live here or not. Long, cold nights are the rule this time of year. Tonight the moon is rising over the river and I am reminded of this painting I did last year.

Thanks for looking at my new work. There is one more thing that I want to tell you about. Patricia and I have just purchased a second home where we will be spending the summers in Liverpool, Nova Scotia - no surprise there! There we will be opening our northern extension of The Artist's Loft B&B and Gallery. As in Brattleboro, we will have one spacious suite (with a deck) from which you can enjoy the Atlantic coast region of the province. We will also have a two room art gallery. More on our plans later.

I look forward to talking with you when you come our way in Vermont and in Nova Scotia. If you are coming to our area at the beginning of the month, be sure to try and catch the latest at The Artist's Loft during Gallery Walk in Brattleboro.

        Yours,

        William H. Hays