Hank Hays

Now a full-time painter, artist Hank Hays first began in 1956 as a forester in Alaska. As a forester he worked in the forest of Southeast Alaska and lived in Douglas, Juneau, Ketchikan, Craig, Anchorage, and now Sitka. Originally he wanted to follow the path of the artist-naturalist Earnest Thompson Seton, but eventually took up forestry. Now married to Ellen Hope, a well-known Tlingit Indian-leader, he has been adopted into the Killer Whale House at Kluckwan. He and his wife live on the ocean at the Cove, formerly an indian encampment, with forest at their back.

Hank began drawing animals and birds as a boy growing up in Indiana and Seattle. A 1950 Purdue graduate, he gradually began to paint and sell in the early 1970’s. Personal circumstances forced a postponement of this early success but since 1984 he has had the space for full-time painting thus enabling Hank To concentrate on developing his unique style and technique. His approach changes constantly in his search for varied techniques, creativity, and subject matter. Hank Hays is gradually entering the market again, however he is more interested in techniques than in marketing paintings as yet. In the years to come he will steadily win increasing recognition as his work becomes known.