About the Artists
Jim Miklavcic
He doesn't remember when the dream of becoming a wildlife artist started; it was always there. He doesn't remember learning to draw; he just always has. " It just came natural to me. The bulk of an artist's training has to come from the heart. The desire to learn seems to be an obsession and a never ending process."
Over the years Jim worked in design and architecture. He started to pursue his art in earnest in 1985 when he moved to Florida. He now resides in Lincoln, NE and continues to work on his art. " I realized my art was more than a hobby to me, it was deep inside and the pull was too great to ignore. I also saw the important role wildlife artists can play in educating the public to problems facing wildlife and habitat. The forest, along with it's wildlife, is our heritage."
Jim now devotes full time to his art, teaching and studies of nature, her wildlife, and our heritage.
Avery Wert
Avery Wert is 20 years old, born in Alabama and raised in Tennessee and has always been very artistic. Her love of animals has been a large inspiration for her drawings and paintings over the years. Now she has expanded to more than just animals and nature.
Joy Kirkpatrick
Joy Kirkpatrick lives in Clarksville, Tennessee. She is a 40- year old mother of two adult children. Her grandfather is credited for initiating her love of photography. He always had a camera in his hand when she was a small child. Joy spent 6-years and countless hours on the sidelines of football games with her camera. Her time spent on the football field made it relatively easy to transition into nature photography, as both require the same skill set to be able to capture subjects in motion. She enjoys nature photography because being outdoors mingling with nature, is a peaceful place to be.
