After 25 years spent honing her skills as a ceramic sculptor, Dartmouth-based artist Nancy Hayes left the medium behind about five years ago to paint.

Now a confident painter, Hayes has become the first featured artist of the fall 2015-16 season at UMass Boston’s Harbor Gallery, the campus’ premiere exhibition space. Her solo show, “In Flux,” features more than 30 of her pieces, which weave together lines, colors and shapes.

Hayes said she’s currently working in triptychs, or paintings split between three panels. Each individual panel is 4-feet-by-2-feet.

The transition from 3D sculpture to 2D painting was a fairly abrupt choice for the artist. Hayes would spend her days in the studio working on her ceramic pieces and would switch to painting at night. But, eventually, her paintings crept into her studio time.

“I realized it was all or nothing,” said Hayes, adding that she sold all of her ceramics equipment at the time. “I wanted to find out who I am as a painter, and I’m currently still finding that out.”

Her paintings are largely informed by her sculpted work, which she adorns with elaborate exteriors. Hayes said the designs on her sculptures weren’t painted on, but were made from ceramic materials. However, the patterned exteriors helped unify the piece with lines, form, color and patterns – much like her paintings.

“I feel like the possibilities are endless because I’m not restrained by the same physical restraints. Clay is very physically restrictive. When you fire clay, things can happen that you don’t anticipate,” said Hayes.

With painting, she feels she can take a more measured, deliberate approach to the creative process. However, she does not arrive in front of canvas with a pre-set plan.

“There always comes a time in a painting where it’s chaotic because everything starts to fight each other,” she said.

She said part of her role is to tame the chaos, realigning what’s prominent or subdued within an image.

“It’s ordered chaos.”

Hayes’ solo show, “In Flux” is open now until Oct. 15. UMass Boston is located on 100 Morrissey Blvd. The Harbor Gallery is located on the first floor of McCormack Hall, across from the café. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 1 to 7 p.m.