The work of wildlfie painter Hayley Johnson was recently the subject of a one-person show at New Hampshire’s Rochester Museum of Art. The paintings in “Anchors in Memory,” were large, colorful stylizations of critters including foxes, moose, and above all wild birds. Birds have been a constant theme since the start, though increasingly they come wreathed in fascinating, complex mandalas of branches and leaves. 

“My biggest inspiration has always come from my love for the natural world and the peace and joy it brings me,” she says. “I have been lucky to travel to many remote locations, particularly the north woods of Maine where my parents were born and raised. My grandfather and my high school bird club introduced me to birdwatching when I was a teenager, and birds have been a common theme in many of my paintings ever since.”

Haley Johnson, “Pizza for Birds,” 60×48 in., oil on canvas, 2024

“All of my paintings come from my personal experiences in nature and special encounters with wildlife,” she says. “I love when others can connect with my art and are reminded of their own experiences. Conversations over shared experiences like this push me to keep creating.”

Johnson’s motivation is straightforward: she wants to replicate her experience of nature and convey the same emotions she has had in those moments to the viewer. Along the way, she says, she discovered a love for camouflage, complexity, and dynamic compositions. She uses her own photos strictly for reference – she’s after the feeling, the experience itself of animals in motion, camouflaged with their surroundings, and what she calls “the fastness of the experience as a whole” – and photographs can’t replicate that.

“Though I paint from my own photographs, I do not want my paintings to come across like a photo so much as an immersive experience,” she says. “I care just as much about the “background” of my painting as I do the subject, because that is what you see in-person. Everything is in view, and the subject of the painting blends in with its habitat. My paintings are busy and impressionistic, capturing the quickness of the moment and all of the exciting elements within an image. I love searching for unexpected hues because I feel that it really draws my viewers in and encourages them to visit with my paintings for a longer period of time.”

Her stylized approach is in that sense a form of realism; she paints “impressionistically” for more than the sake of “look” or style alone. Rather, her color and brushwork evoke the sort of electrified atmosphere one truly feels in the presence of wildlife, the sense that everything is kinetic, moving, and alive.

Windswept and Hungry, 40×60″, oil on canvas, 2024

“I take a lot of inspiration from time spent in remote locations, specifically the woods of northern Maine where I have always been drawn to and visit often,” she says. “I find myself talking not about the specific techniques employed in the painting process, but the stories that led to their creation and where my inspirations lie.”

Between getting traction for her painting career and her day job as a professional art hander, Johnson is devoted. “Art is an excellent way to spread different ideas, cultures, and opinions,” she says. “It can be an incredible tool to learn about the world and connect with others. In addition to being an artist, I work as an art handler and get the opportunity to meet with many collectors and art lovers almost daily. I love hearing about all the ways artwork inspires them. When a piece of art really resonates with someone, it can stick with that person forever.” 

Hayley Johnson, “Homebound,” 50×20”, oil on canvas, 2025

Artist’s Bio

Haley Johnson grew up in Massachusetts, where an interest in wildlife and the outdoors began at a young age. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting, with a Minor in Sustainability and Academic Honors, from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. Her professional experience includes gallery and museum work, teaching, and assistantships, as well as residencies such as the Allagash Wilderness Waterway Artist Residency (2025), the OCARC Margo-Gelb Dune Shack Residency (2024), and the Maine Audubon Brush with Nature program (2023).

Johnson’s work has been featured in a wide range of exhibitions, including recent shows at West Window Gallery (Quincy, MA), The Distillery Gallery (Boston, MA), Concord Art (Concord, MA), 82 Parris (Portland, ME), and Zepster Gallery (Brooklyn, NY). She has received recognition through awards such as the George Nick Prize (2022), Third Prize at the Frances N. Roddy Competition (2023), and multiple features in publications including Artistonish Magazine and Furrow Magazine.

Painting animals has a long history, and there are many artists practicing it today. If you’d like to try your own hand, check out one of the many teaching videos available on the subject.

If you’re game for watercolor, see Gina Rossi’s watercolor manual on painting birds and other animals in her “No Excuses Watercolor” series.