At the age of eight, Fred inherited a set of oil paints from a neighbor whose wife had recently passed. This gift led to a childhood dedication to art, which in turn led to a BFA from WV State College in 1979 and an MA from Marshall University in 1982 where he studied under June Kilgore.

After college, Fred found work in fine art restoration and framing in North Carolina in addition to displaying art in galleries located in New York City. Life eventually led Fred back to his birthplace in West Virginia, where he would excel in a career of sustainable agriculture and aquaculture. Upon retiring in 2020, Fred was able to rededicate himself to his long time love of oil painting.

New Realities is a collection of Hays’ recent work that explores the interaction between humanity and nature in our ever evolving understanding of a world we only briefly inhabit, yet profoundly impact. These paintings investigate shifting light, changing perspectives, and moments of social uncertainty through the interplay of the human eye and the human psyche, impacting how we see, interpret and emotionally respond to the experience.