Tom Peyton Memorial Arts Festival
Rev. Tom Peyton
Tom Peyton Memorial Arts Festival of First United Methodist Church, Alexandria, Louisiana, was established in 1967 to encourage use and understanding of the arts as a means of healthy expression. The First Annual Festival presented the first juried art competition in Central Louisiana. For more than half a century, the Festival has offered a variety of exhibits as well as programs of music, film, literature and drama. The Festival was renamed in 1980 to honor the memory of The Rev. Tom Peyton, a former associate minister whose ministry to the entire community’s arts and educational efforts was especially significant. An endowment in Peyton’s memory contributes to the Festival’s budget, which is otherwise supported by patrons’ gifts and grants. The Festival enjoys the guidance and services of the church’s staff and the use of its facilities. The core of the Festival remains the juried art exhibit.
2025 Special Exhibit Artist: Jim E. Johnson Photography
Nature and photography have been a driving force in my life since childhood. As a young boy , I came across a book entitled “ I Went to the Woods”, an autobiographical account of an acclaimed bird photographer. His stories of falconry, raptor banding, and the patience required to capture birds in their natural habitats captivated me. That book was more than just an enjoyable read- it planted the seed for a lifetime passion that would both shape my hobbies and my career. Birds, especially waterfowl and raptors, have always been my primary focus. Their grace, power and adaptability never cease to amaze me. My early attempts at photography were simple but meaningful.
After serving in the military I embarked on a second career as a endangered species biologist, a role that allowed me to merge my passion for wildlife with my professional life.
Now in retirement, I have the freedom to fully devote my time to bird and wildlife photography traveling across the country in search of the perfect shot. My work has been published in several magazines, including The Tennessee Conservationist, Louisiana Conservationist, Bird Watcher’s Digest, Petersons Woodpeckers of North America, and Birders Guide to Louisiana, among others. Each outing is an opportunity to not only document these incredible creatures but also to experience nature firsthand.
Photography is more than a creative pursuit for me – it’s a way to connect with wildlife and share my experiences that might otherwise go unnoticed.
2025 Lily Brooks, Juror
Lily Brooks holds an MFA from the University of Texas at Austin and a BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art + Design. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and featured in publications such as NPR’s Central Standard and the Los Angeles Times. She is the 2019 recipient of an Archive Documentation and Preservation Grant from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation for her ongoing project, The Spillway. Her editorial clients include NPR’s weekend edition and the Financial Times.
Lily teaches as an Assistant professor of Photography at Southeastern Louisiana University and was recently named Edward G. Schlieder Foundation Endowed Professorship in Environmental Studies and Sustainability. She lives and works in Baton Rouge and is a member of The Front, an artist-run project gallery in New Orleans..