Earning a living in her late teens and early twenties as an animal portrait artist through the medium of oil, pencil, and charcoal Jill Hayward says she has always embraced the arts in one form or another.
In the late 1970’s, photography, with its numerous possibilities and opportunities was introduced to her, and a new love was born through film, video, and later digital imaging.
Essentially self-taught, Jill’s portfolio of work displays her exceptional talent and diversification as a photographer.
Her love for photography keeps her in constant pursuit of rare and inspiring images that sometimes honour a quiet and patient photographer – a photographer not adverse to standing in the middle of a winter blizzard, scrambling up rocky outcrops, hunkering down in an alpine meadow for hours on end, or riding trails into the backcountry to “get that unique shot.”
Describing herself as a “wildlife addict,” Jill says some of her greatest thrills come from photographing animals in natural habitat.
“Finding those special moments when a bird, coyote, or deer, accept you into their world is very rewarding,” says Jill, “It’s then that you feel a sense of great privilege to be able to record these private moments from Nature’s domain. These special photos all tell a story if you take the time to listen.”
A constant winner of awards awards for her pictures; Jill’s work shows her passion in creating photographs that celebrate both the drama found in nature, and the beauty of life as she sees it from all vantage points.
Enjoying a lifetime spent with horses, cattle, dogs, and the great outdoors, Jill and her husband Bob (also a photography enthusiast), live in Louis Creek, B.C., and Jill is the editor of the North Thompson Star/Journal.
A showing of Jill’s wildlife photography will be on display for the next few weeks at Armour Mountain Bookkeeping & Tax Service in the AG Foods Mall, Barriere; Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There will also be an open house on Saturday, Jan. 21, from 2 - 4 p.m. Meet the photographer, and meet the wildlife she has brought home in her camera.