Max Hayslette born in Rupert, West Virginia in 1930, is a classically trained artist. His talent was evident early on, when he exhibited his first one-man show in 1946, before he even began his art education. In 1952 he completed his studies at the Art Institute in Chicago, where he studied closely with Alexander Archipenko and Egon Weiner.
A world-renown landscape artist, Hayslette's work reflects a gentle and spiritual quality. His intensely warm color palette and sense of dramatic lighting transports the viewer to familiar, at time surreal, destinations. "The combination of a long dance between memory and imagination is the root from which my images grow."
Hayslette likes to work on-site for his paintings whenever possible. He takes photos, renders sketches, and creates color notes. He takes particular care in recording atmospheric color temperatures. Hayslette feels that different areas of the world have very distinct color temperatures.
In the style of Asian masters, Hayslette distills the essence of a scene into flat light and dark areas with pure washes of color; then he builds up depth using a more European impressionist style. Broad brushstrokes define each plane as another world emerges on the canvas.