Name of Person: Claire L. Haye

ClaireWorks is a unique gallery showcasing sculpture, paintings and jewelry designed by artist, Claire Haye. It employs 4 women, all of whom live in the charming mountain village of Arroyo Seco NM, and reaches out to a local, national and international audience.

The artist, Claire Haye, was born in Chicago and raised in New York City. She grew up surrounded by the arts: dance, theatre, and music.

As a young adult, Claire returned to Chicago, studied at the Goodman Theatre School and performed with Second City and the Body Politic. In Chicago, she met her husband, married, and had two daughters.

After a decade in the performing arts, Claire turned to the visual arts to restore her spirit. A family crisis in 1977—her husband’s first heart attack—sent the family to the healing and creative atmosphere of Taos, New Mexico. Claire’s artistic development was allowed to grow exponentially in this well-known art colony.

During the next three decades, the artist has created a unique body of work including large ceramic and bronze sculpture; and paintings using a combination of acrylic, pastels, and collage. Her work has been purchased by well-known collectors, including Baron Thyssen-Bornemiza, the late R.C. Gorman, Muriel Seibert, and actress, Julia Roberts. She has participated in regional and national exhibits, winning “best of show” and other awards.

Further exploring her creative horizons, Claire decided to try her accomplished hand at jewelry-making. The jewelry found an instant audience, first worn and enjoyed by the women of Taos, and then, after being selected to represent New Mexico on the QVC (a nationally televised shopping network), it was collected by women all over the country and the world.

The artist’s first gallery, located in the charming mountain village of Arroyo Seco, opened in 1997. Claire Haye’s bronze sculpture adorns the outdoor garden as well as the indoor space. Her sterling silver, and bronze jewelry has found its home inside (along with her paintings), much to the delight of her many collectors.

Claire Haye continues to live, work and create in the northern New Mexico mountains, although now a widow with grown children and growing grandchildren. Her creativity delights an ever-growing national audience.