One of the most beautiful things about life is that you evolve as you grow. Jamie Heiden, a Holmen, Wisconsin-based photographer, has seen this firsthand over the nearly two decades she’s been creating art. Always woven into the transitions – from dark rooms to digital, polaroids to printers, shorts days to long – there’s magic.
“I look back at work from 15 years ago and while I didn’t consciously change any of my processes, it clearly has evolved,” says Jamie. “I’m always a bit surprised when people comment on the evolution of my work. My response is usually something like, ‘Well I hope it’s changed a bit, I know I have.’”
The goal, however, has remained the same: Finding a little fairytale every day.
There’s a “removed from reality,” magical energy to Jamie’s photos. She shoots lots of everyday scenery like trees, barns, rooftops, and horizons, all through a storyteller’s lens. “The beauty inspires me daily,” Jamie says. “The bluffs and open roads, the old oak trees, the barns and homes that have hidden stories ready to be imagined.”
She then takes her photographs and enhances them digitally. She’ll often pull features from multiple images to get the look she’s after, layering pieces to create a surrealist, paint-like image.
“It’s a glimpse of the story that played in my head when I saw what I saw,” she explains, wanting to draw attention to the beauty that can be so easily missed in a fast-paced world.
Jamie grew up on the east side of Wisconsin, “Completely unaware of the beauty of the Driftless until we moved here in 1994.” When she was young, she dreamed of becoming a National Geographic photographer. She took photography classes in high school, studying under a teacher who inspired her to keep taking photos. She went on to get a degree in Photography and Printing from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. While there, she started experimenting with different techniques in the darkroom.
“I loved working with fiber based black and white papers, adding oils to hand tint them. The colors were muted and soft but so, so lovely,” she reflects. “I also did a lot of playing with Polaroid films – transferring emulsions to watercolor paper and adding paints to that, creating yummy texture and rich tones.”
Now the tools of her trade are the digital kind, applying colors, textures, and layering in Photoshop that mimic her film and paper techniques of the past. The result is still the unique photo-impressionistic look with paint-like qualities. And although she no longer gets to use a darkroom, Jamie does print all of her own images. “It’s so much fun to just hold that finished piece in your hands right away.”
Once the piece is printed, it’s time for a title. Combining words with her images is an integral part of Jamie’s artistic process, she says, because she “loves the journey words allow us to travel.”
It’s a process Jamie enjoys doing over and over again, even after all these years. “I still love to do it. I can’t really imagine a day when I will say otherwise,” she says. “I still relish the days that I get to pack a lunch and get in my car with my camera and set out to capture some new images. That’s part of my job! How lucky am I?”
Even when she’s not taking photos, Jamie loves to be immersed in nature. She spends her days working on her 65-acre property north of Holmen, which is also home to three horses, two goats, three cats,15 hens, one rooster, and a dog. She loves its gardens and hiking trails. “I adore the Driftless. I’m so proud to be part of its uniqueness,” she shares.
That said, trips to Ireland, France, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, and Scotland over the last decade have provided artistic inspiration. She’s headed to Scotland again soon, drawn to its weather, in particular. “I love a good overcast day,” Jamie says. That, and European rooftops. “I usually come back with half of my images from the second story up!”
Whether she’s traveling internationally or closer to home, Jamie has found great value in a fresh perspective. “A change of scenery is always a good way to boost creativity,” she says. She also finds inspiration in other artists’ work – currently painters Francisco Fonseca of Portugal and Lisa Aisato of Norway. She admires many photographers, musicians, and poets, and is drawn to movies, too, pulled by the stories and themes. “My recent loves are Train Dreams and Hamnet but there are so many others that I find so inspiring. Knowing we have just this one life, movies are a way to live other lifetimes within, even if just for a couple of hours.”
Jamie also enjoys engaging with customers at local art fairs. “Art fairs are a lot of work, but I love seeing my images resonate with people,” she says. “I get to hear their stories and find out bits about them. I’m constantly amazed at how different yet how similar we all are.” She plans to do four or five shows this coming season (see below for the list).
Jamie’s work is also featured in several Driftless art galleries including Outside the Lines in Dubuque, Iowa, and Galena, Illinois, Lanesboro Arts in Lanesboro, Minnesota, and The Frame Gallery in Holmen. Her work is featured on some book covers, too. She looks forward to continued work with authors and growing in that space, as well.
But even if there wasn’t an audience, Jamie would keep bringing that magic to everyday life, just as she always has.
“I love creating things,” she says. “I’d be doing it even if nobody ever wanted to look at anything I made.”
Sara Walters
Sara Walters is based in La Crosse and has been a contributor to Inspire(d) since 2018.
See Jamie and her work at an Art Fair (2026):
June 5-7: Edina Art Fair, Edina, MN
July 11-12: Art Fair on the Square, Madison, WI
September 12-13: Wausau Festival of the Arts, Wausau, WI
September 25-27: Plaza Art Fair, Kansas City, MO
Or check her out online:
