Meet Amy Hayes: Channahon Woman is Champion for the Arts

Amy Hayes, founder and executive director of Three Rivers Arts Council

If you know Amy Hayes, the first thought that comes to mind is probably art. She is the founder and Executive Director of the Three Rivers Arts Council which serves the Channahon, Minooka and Shorewood area. Hayes is from Elmhurst and moved to Channahon 12 years ago because she wanted to be in a “more rural area that was evocative of country living. “

Talking with Hayes is always an adventure as she has always has a host of interesting projects in the works and she has a creative spirit that makes want to find out more.

Residents are probably most familiar with Three Rivers Arts Council from the Art in the Park event. The event is hosted by the Channahon Park District and will be returning in June.

"[Art in the Park] is a festival style showcase of local artists," Hayes said. "We are always looking for artists and will be scheduling them for events as early as next week."

The second annual Art in the Park will  be June 25 in Channahon.

"I love working with artists, bringing artists in the community together," Hayes said. "People need destinations to gather, to meet each other, to network in order for the community to grow and thrive."

While Art in the Park is a successful, yearly event, Hayes is not one to sit still. The Three Rivers Arts Council is planning a fall event and is aiming to raise money to get the council a permanent home.

"Right now we are starting a major fund-raising campaign so that we can open the Three Rivers Arts Center and “Bom” Gallery," she said.

Bom advocates building on Mondamin, which is where the council is aiming to have the gallery.

In addition to providing areas for artists to network and display their art, Three Rivers Arts Council and Hayes herself, sees education, especially art education, as vitally important.

"Most of what we do with Three Rivers is about art education," Hayes said. "We give out scholarships to high school students, providing networking opportunities for artists, and then of course providing a wealth of actual classes where anyone can learn about how to flex their creativity muscles – so to speak."

You can view an example of Hayes' work right now.

"I have a very nice oil painting of a lockhouse hanging in the Village Hall of Channahon," Hayes said. "Lock # 7 is kind of a historic landmark in Channahon on the I&M canal trail path."

For more information on the council, visit its Web site.

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