November 23, 1925

Gene Hatfield, an artist closely associated with the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in Conway (Faulkner County), was born. Hatfield’s appreciation for thrift and enjoyment of clutter led to his production of art that has made the display of his work in his front yard in Conway the subject of controversy among his neighbors. Hatfield taught drawing, painting, sculpture, crafts and design, as well as art history and appreciation, at UCA for a number of years. Having studied, exhibited, and lived in France, Hatfield’s art exhibits surrealist influences. He uses discarded materials, mechanical parts, and found objects in his sculptural art.