Center Harbor artist and illustrator Karel Hayes has participated in solo shows at the Blue Hill Gallery in Blue Hill, ME, the Ellen Baker Gallery in Philadelphia, PA and recently at the Libby Museum in Wolfeboro, NH.

Her paintings have also been shown at Surroundings Gallery in Center Sandwich, NH, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History, the Fine Arts Center in Taos, NM, the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club Show at the National Arts Club in New York City, and the Salmagundi Club Open Show in New York City.

Her work has appeared in several magazines, including Cobblestone Magazine for children, and she has illustrated 15 books. Her most recent picture books are:

The Amazing Journey of Lucky the Lobster Buoy, Down East Books (Spring 2009) Author/Illustrator.

The Winter Visitors, Down East Books (Fall 2007) Author/Illustrator.

• *Independent Publisher’s Bronze Medal for Children’s   Picture Books (all ages)
• *Time of Wonder Award for excellence in Children’s Literature from The Maine Discovery Museum
• *2008 Maine Literary Award Honorable Mention

Who’s Been Here? A Tale of Tracks, Down East Books (Fall 2008) Fran Hodgkins, Author, Karel Hayes, Illustrator.

Time For The Fair, Down East Books (Fall 2005) Mary Train, Author, Karel Hayes, Illustrator.

Last year Karel started a mural company, OUTSIDE/IN, with her son, John Gorey.  They have completed murals for the Moultonborough Library, the Conway Library, the Madison Library, and the Pine Tree School in Conway, NH.

Karel is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and a charter member of the National Museum of Woman in the Arts in Washington, DC.  She is on the board of The Barnstormers Theatre in Tamworth, NH and helps raise money for scholarships for the Center Harbor Woman’s Club.