Just For The Hay Of It! Exploring Agricultural Art

By Cookie Steponaitis

photo provided Meet Wyatt Vincent of Vt. Bale Creations. His creations have graced lawns and businesses and include a lovable cast of characters including a lighthouse, phenomenal Halloween sculpture of a cat for the children of Vergennes to enjoy, Klaus the dog at The Automaster, TowMater at Middstate Towing, the bear at Vermont Teddy Bear, a Custom Motorcycle from the past , and a host of adorable furry friends.

photo provided

photo provided

photo provided

photo provided

While everyone in Addison County knows that the ability to create with art runs in the Vincent family, it seemed to escape Wyatt Vincent that he had the gene until just over three years ago. Driven by a love of creating and a relentless desire to help out, Wyatt started his Bale Creations when the Humane Society of Addison County wanted to increase awareness and focus on their capital campaign. That summer a new attraction popped up on the family field in Addison and a new direction for Wyatt Vincent was born.
“I was contacted by a local business owner,” last fall shared Wyatt, “They asked me to build one for them. Jokingly, he called it “Agricultural Art” and the rest is history.” Since 2011 Wyatt’s creations have graced many locations in the Champlain Valley and with the help of his wife Chris  and brother Jason Vincent. They have been commissioned to create some personal Bale Art as tributes to people’s beloved pets. With this new chapter in his life, he is still looking for right combination to blend his art and fundraising for local charities. “We build them to put a smile on people’s faces for that split second in their busy lives to have them forget about all the bad things going on in the world.” Any passerby will tell you that Vincent’s hay bales do more than give a smile. Their creativity, ingenuity and attention to detail cause drivers to pull over, take out the cell phone camera’s and pose with the creations.
When asked how the process works, Wyatt shared that he builds them in his head first then works out the details with his brother as they create their hay bale structures. His creations have graced lawns and businesses and include a lovable cast of characters including a lighthouse, phenomenal Halloween sculpture of a cat for the children of Vergennes to enjoy, Klaus the dog at The Automaster, TowMater at Middstate Towing, the bear at Vermont Teddy Bear, a Custom Motorcycle from the past , and a host of adorable furry friends. Wyatt’s and Jason’s thoughts and designs have created unbelievable pieces that stop motorcyclist enthusiasts and drivers on their daily commutes and scenic trips thru our countryside.
 Wyatt invites the curious and the ambitious fundraising committees for cancer causes and other civic projects to check out his Facebook page at Vt. Bale Creations (website is under construction). Wyatt can also be reached at [email protected]. As an artist, he is happy and available to do commission work, but he is waiting the opportunity to merge his Bale Art with fundraising programs to bring in revenue for a cause that helps others. “Life it too short not to give back,” reflected Wyatt. “I think it is fair to say that I have been looking out for others in my own way for a very long time and this is a way to merge my love of helping with my love of agricultural art.” Quick to thank the community that helps him create, Wyatt gave special thanks to famer John Vander Wey, DeVries Farm LLC and Ray Dykema who have donated the hay for several projects and Aubuchon Hardware and Sherwin Williams, and other local stores who have helped with paints and supplies.
“Just in case you like looking for Champ,” said Wyatt with a grin.. “I would say it is safe to say that sometime, somewhere in Addison County, Champ will be sighted on land and he will be there to stay a while. I am just saying to keep a look out.” It is plain to see that like any unique and community oriented artists, Wyatt  has found a way to blend the best of life in the Champlain Valley by creating art to create joy, awareness, and raise funds for pertinent causes while utilizing the basic building blocks of the agricultural life that we know and love. They are more than bales of grass and in the hands of Wyatt and Jason Vincent they come to life with purpose, flair and love. The Valley Voice salutes The Vincent’s  and invites all the Voice readers and Face book followers to check out this form of agricultural art.( If you dream it they will try to bring it  to life ) We dare you! Go on! Do it just for the hay of it!