Kathy Mayhue

For northwest Arkansas-based photographer Kathy Mayhue, a photo opportunity can strike at any moment. “I find inspiration everywhere,” she says. “It's the way I see my surroundings. I notice the details a lot.” Her appreciation for those details shines through in all of her work, and her photos of the state's natural beauty have cemented her reputation as a uniquely talented artist.

While serving on the board of directors for Hobbs State Park in Rogers, Kathy was given the opportunity to shoot a wide variety of wildlife throughout the park. Her photos display a diverse range of beauty, from the lush green leaves of summer to an intricately woven spider web adorned with diamond-like dewdrops. In one photo, a tree—bare of its leaves for the winter—houses a proudly perched eagle, while in another, delicate wildflowers grow from the frosted ground, showing the hopeful first signs of spring.  These beautiful snapshots are a welcome reward for Kathy, who works diligently to achieve a memorable shot.  “I love the hunt for the wow factor. The one that grabs you, and takes you to another place,” she says.

Though she finds it difficult to choose a favorite image, she often thinks of the one she narrowly missed. While shooting wildlife in Montana, Kathy came across a grizzly bear and her cub. “I was beside myself with excitement,” she says. “The scene was perfect. I just couldn't get a sharp shot, and that one was tough to miss.” Kathy's enthusiasm for standing just 50 yards away from the bears was not matched by her family and friends. “They reminded me I should have had some fear,” she says.

In addition to encountering wild animals, Kathy has been hard at work capturing the Natural State. Her work was most recently been featured at Julie Wait Designs' gallery and at Poor Richard's Art, both in Rogers, as well as Fellowship Bible Church of Lowell and in a private collection at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Through all of her success Kathy remains thankful to her supporters, and offers advice to aspiring photographers, encouraging each one to, “Realize your passion, and do everything you can to develop that part of your life—it's what makes our lives rich.”