Biography

Hayes was born in Bristol, England but brought up in in Dublin, Ireland where his father was a hotelier. He studied art at the Dublin Society Art School and first exhibited his work at the RHA (Royal Hibernian Academy) in 1842.
He remained in Dublin for ten years before moving to London. He also exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts, British Institution, Society of British Artists and the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours, becoming a full member of the latter in 1863.

Hayes painted seascapes in Ireland, England, Belgium, Holland, France, Spain and Italy, his work inevitably featuring ships and boats in high seas, harbour scenes or other aspects of the coastline.