Ms. Hayes was born in Buffalo and moved to Genesee County when she was two. She started painting after she bought her children an oil painting kit for Christmas one year. They were not interested, so not wanting it to go to waste, she used it herself.

She has taken classes from Esther Von Kramer, visited museums throughout the region, and read art books. She is a member of the Batavia Society of Artists, and lists Van Gogh as an influence after she saw his paintings at the Albright Knox Art Gallery. She prefers to paint alone in her studio where she has done hundreds of paintings.