JOLAINE RAYNER

My name is Jolaine Rayner. I am a mom to a beautiful little girl named Juna, a dog owner, house owner, leathercrafter, photographer, art teacher, and business owner. 

Growing up, I discovered my place in the world through the means of art. I frequently covered my bedroom walls with any medium I could get my hands on. Luckily, my family was always very encouraging and supportive of my art practice. 

In highschool, I was often found in the art room during breaks or lunchtime. The art room was my sanctuary; caring and nonjudgmental. It was a place where I could reflect and discover who I was as an individual. 

I knew I was destined to be in the arts so immediately after highschool, I enrolled in the Visual Communications program at the Medicine Hat College and onward achieved my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Lethbridge. It was at UofL where I discovered my passion for photography and spent countless hours in the darkroom developing film prints. 

After university and for the next 10 sequential years, I operated a successful photography business. I loved my job and the opportunity it granted me to build strong connections with the community and be creative everyday. I craved more…

It was then that I was offered a part-time position as an Summer Art instructor at the Medicine Hat Esplanade where I taught summer art camps and tutored art sessions specifically for teens. Shortly after, I was offered a position as an Outreach Artist. My job was to work directly with the School District and teach Reggio inspired art classes to the youth. There is nothing more gratifying than having the power to inspire others.

I enrolled at the University of British Columbia and accomplished my Bachelor of Education Degree specialising in Secondary Art Education and was awarded the Leon Tuey scholarship in Art Education. I landed a teaching position within a month of returning to Medicine Hat and have been educating for the past five years alongside operating my photography business. 

It made sense to open my own studio to combine both my passion for photography and love for art education to inspire the youth. Creating art full time, the flexibility of owning my own business, collaborating, and creating community connections is also a big perk. I look forward to sharing my years of creative knowledge with the community!