Gallery director Jillian Hayes of Hayes Gallery in Greenwich. Photo courtesy of Hayes Gallery.
Westchester native Jillian Hayes opens Hayes Gallery, a contemporary art gallery in Greenwich, to much success.
A stroll down Greenwich Avenue, just across the county border, will lead you to relative newcomer Hayes Gallery (405 Greenwich Ave, Greenwich; hayesgallery.com), where contemporary art abounds. Gallery director Jillian Hayes opened the two-story space last year to bring new, young, emerging artists to the avenue. The 30-year-old Rye resident, whose educational background includes degrees in art history and communications, had previously honed her creative eye as an interior designer. She explains that the progression to art-gallery ownership was a natural fit: “I always knew I wanted to end up in the art world.”
The selection at the gallery includes the work of many creatives from around the world who work in varied media, yet Hayes’ curation engenders a seamless blend within the space. High ceilings, two spacious levels, and plenty of overflowing natural light cause the gallery to feel like a bright, inviting museum.
Noteworthy artists exhibiting at the gallery include Parisian-born Punkmetender (the Kardashian-Jenner clan and Sofia Vergara have touted his signature butterflies); fine-art photographer David Drebin; internationally recognized pop artist Burton Morris; and Hayes’ father, Robert Georgio, of Rye-based luxury-development and custom-home business Georgio Home. Georgio’s abstract paintings are influenced by Gerhard Richter, making it clear that creative blood runs in the family.
The venture has proved a success for Hayes, who will be exhibiting at CONTEXT Art Miami this winter. The gallery’s location on the lower avenue allows for heavy foot traffic, and the collection appeals to both experienced collectors and newer, younger investors from Fairfield County, Manhattan, and Westchester.
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