Larry “Kip” Hayes
Larry “Kip” Hayes is a celebrated artist from Broussard, Louisiana, whose work captures the quiet beauty and fading charm of rural South Louisiana. Born and raised on a farm, Hayes developed a deep appreciation for the landscape, structures, and everyday life of the region. His creative journey began in the 1970s as a freelance photographer, documenting the subtle poetry of barns, bayous, and fields through his lens before transitioning into painting. That photographic eye still informs his work today, lending it a grounded realism that resonates with viewers across the world.
Hayes is best known for his richly textured paintings in oil and acrylic, often created on reclaimed materials like 100-year-old cypress boards. His choice of surface adds a layer of authenticity and raw character that reflects the spirit of the land he portrays. Thematically, his art serves as a tribute to a vanishing way of life—capturing the soul of rural Louisiana through images of weathered barns, grazing animals, sugarcane fields, and old country roads. His paintings are infused with warmth, memory, and a sense of place that has earned him a devoted following, including celebrity collectors like Samuel L. Jackson, Sandra Bullock, and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Hayes’ work has been exhibited locally and internationally, with pieces finding homes as far away as South Africa. In addition to gallery showings at venues like Gallery 600 Julia in New Orleans, his art is also part of BARE Walls, a Lafayette-based art subscription program that places original works in public and business spaces. Through this blend of traditional artistry and community engagement, Larry “Kip” Hayes continues to preserve and elevate the everyday beauty of Louisiana’s cultural landscape, offering a heartfelt visual legacy that bridges past and present.
