Obituary A legendary artist, Jimmy was equally known for his magnetic personality, sense of ribald humor, and inspired storytelling. April 24, 2026 — 4 min read James Hayward in his painting studio in 2015 (photo by and courtesy William Turner) Abstract painter James Hayward died last week at the age of 82. It was a great fortune to know him, own one of his paintings, feast on his famous tri-tip, share a joint and a glass of good red wine (he was a connoisseur), and listen to his inexhaustible wellspring of anecdotes. As much as Hayward was legendary as an LA painter, he was equally known for his magnetic personality, sense of ribald humor, unfiltered commentary, and inspired storytelling. Highly regarded among his fellow artists, his early hard-edge paintings eventually led to his signature “monochromatic abstractions,” the term he preferred to describe his oil and wax impasto works.…