Rachel Hayes was born in Kansas City, Missouri and lives and works in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Hayes received her BFA in Fiber from the Kansas City Art Institute, and her MFA in Painting from Virginia Commonwealth University. Often using fabric to create large-scale work, she is interested in inserting color and form into both built and natural environments. Hayes creates fabric structures that vibrantly explore painting processes, quilt making, architectural space, light, and shadow. Because of the large-scale nature of her installations and her interests in painting and the craft of sewing, Hayes’ work is a balance of power and fragility.