Artists to Watch
Justin Hayward, Jeff Yeomans, and Sallie K. Smith
 Young Marriage by Justin Hayward |
Justin Hayward
When Justin Hayward was 5 he began his art career … in church. “My parents gave me a pencil to keep me quiet,” he recalls. “I loved to draw cartoons and monster trucks—little boy stuff.”
Today, at 27, Hayward is more likely to take on a complex figurative painting, like young marriage, where he weaves layers of symbols into the work. In this painting, he is playing with the idea of relationships; the turtle represents longevity while the raven symbolizes temptation. There is more, of course, going on in the painting, but Hayward prefers to leave some things for the eye of the beholder to fathom.
Although he paints landscapes on occasion, Hayward says he is drawn to figurative work. “As people we have a personal connection when we view another person,” he says. “I like capturing the essence of a person, a complicated inner being.”
Hayward studied art at the New York Academy of Art and in private classes with Dan Thompson and Christopher Pugliese. Earlier this year, he received an award of merit at the Springville Museum of Art’s Spring Salon show held annually in Springville, UT. Hayward is represented by Terzian Gallery, Park City, UT; Principle Gallery, Alexandria, VA; and Williams Fine Art, Salt Lake City, UT.
 Summer Stoke (detail) by Jeff Yeomans |
For as long as Jeff Yeomans can remember, the Pacific Ocean has been part of his life. Yeomans grew up in sunny Southern California and was a regular visitor to Laguna Beach, a coastal town where he not only swam and surfed but also stopped in at art galleries—often, he says, in his swimming trunks. These days his works often reflect his love of the water. It has given him an intimate knowledge and appreciation of the sea, both the calm moments and the high drama.
Yeomans is equally at adept at capturing street scenes of his hometown of San Diego. He finds inspiration, he says, in everyday life, whether it’s painting chefs at a café or a family at the beach. “I just enjoy putting down paint and color,” he says. “If I am trying to convey anything, it’s a spirit of optimism.” Yeomans has received numerous awards in the past several years, including Best of Show at the La Jolla Art Association’s plein-air show earlier this year. His works are on view in October at Studio 7 Gallery in Laguna Beach. He also is represented by Art Expressions Gallery, San Diego, CA.
 Band of Brothers by Sallie K. Smith |
Although her mother and aunt were serious painters, Sallie K. Smith says she rebelled against becoming a painter and for years preferred other artistic pursuits, such as jewelry design. But four years ago, she began studying painting with Colorado artist Jake Gaedtke and discovered she loved working in oils and that landscape—particularly the mountains—captured her artistic soul. “I don’t think anything in life is more beautiful and perfect,” Smith says. “I’m in awe of the landscape.”
As a landscape painter, the Boulder, CO, artist says she is given the opportunity to linger, study, and develop an intimate relationship with nature—the streams, lakes, mesas, and valleys that dot the West. “I have a need to look deeply into them and will spend hours, or days, or weeks transferring what I have observed onto a canvas,” she explains. “We become close.”
She is quick to point out that there isn’t “a big philosophy or message” in her works. It’s more about the “wow” factor. “I’m just trying to say, isn’t this beautiful? Isn’t this poetic and incredible?” Smith’s works are on view in Boulder’s Open Studios the weekends of October 6-7 and October 13-14. She is represented by Mary Williams Fine Art, Boulder, CO; Paint Horse Galley, Breckenridge, CO; Philinda Gallery, Edwards, CO; The Art Services Company, Denver, CO; and Grand Image, Seattle, WA.
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