Carol Hayes was born in 1954 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In 1976, she received her Bachelor of Science from Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota. She also studied at the New York Art Students League in New York City (1981-1983) and New York Studio School of Painting, Drawing, and Sculpture in New York City (1993).

She has lived in the Midwest, Los Angeles, New York City and Long Island, and Miami. She currently lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Carol works intuitively and much of her work, in watercolor and charcoal, is inspired by found objects acquired from her time in nature. Scroll down to view a video interview with Carol from the Parrish Art Museum.