Kay Crick

Kay Crick has been capturing the beauty of the world through a camera lens for most of her life. A Jackson, Tennessee native, her love of photography began in childhood when her parents gave her a Kodak Brownie camera one Christmas. Photography was already part of her family story—her father served in the United States Air Force during World War II and worked as a photographer in India, developing his own photographs while overseas. Those early influences helped spark Kay’s lifelong fascination with images and storytelling through light.

While photography has always been her primary medium, Kay expanded her artistic practice in 2016 when she began studying painting with professional artist Janice Sumler in Jackson. During those lessons, her instructor described her creative style as Abstract Expressionist, a description that continues to shape the way she approaches color, composition, and visual storytelling.

Kay’s work is inspired by the beauty of God’s creation and by the simple joy she finds in being creative. Throughout her life she has carried forward the advice her parents instilled in her: “Do your very best.” That philosophy guides her artistic process as she continues to explore photography and visual art.

Before dedicating more time to her creative pursuits, Kay built successful careers in banking and as an affiliate real estate broker in Jackson. She also earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Fogelman College of Business and Economics at Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). The knowledge and discipline gained through those experiences continue to support her work as a professional artist today.

Kay now operates her Photography and Art Studio upstairs at Art in the Village Gallery in Jackson, where she creates artwork, hosts portrait sessions, and teaches photography classes in the gallery’s classroom.

Her work has been exhibited locally, including at the Ned R. McWherter West Tennessee Cultural Arts Center, and she has received awards such as Best Use of Color and other merit recognitions in exhibitions at Jackson City Hall. Her photography and artwork can be found both in Art in the Village Gallery and in her studio space above the gallery.

Kay also offers portrait sessions in her studio and custom photography at locations of her clients’ choosing.

“Being creative is my greatest joy.”