To Open their Eyes

Photography by Jacklyn Surratt

To Open their Eyes

Photographer, Jacklyn Surratt, explore’s the world through her eyes as she photographs life, nature, and people, all of which are created and living miracles of God. Her images are inspired by God’s word through scripture and often times when she has felt God’s powerful presence while photographing. Jacklyn invites you to open your eyes and examine God’s beauty.

Artist Statement

I want to first and foremost thank the Lord for this gift he has given me. I often stand in Awe of his creation and Praise him while I am taking a photograph. I want to capture his presence and be able to share to the world what I feel when I experience this overwhelming feeling of him walking with me. I have questioned whether I am on the right path in the past, and so visually I am attracted to where paths lead. Sometimes, while walking on paths, a feather is placed directly in my path and I receive it as a gift of confirmation of whatever I am struggling with or questions to God. He is always right by my-side, leading me. My mind will be invaded with scripture as I see what is before me. I often find myself searching like a treasure hunter and watching as light hits the landscape. What colors has God made the sky today? Or what detail does he want me to pay attention to? I am curious about details and how it was made and why this much detail in as little as a grasshopper. I pray that you’ll be able to feel God’s love for you and the peace I have felt while capturing his beauty.

Flowers

8x10 - $100 available now

Exposed by Light

20X24 - $300 available now

Ephesians 5:13-14
“But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light, Therefore it says,
Awake, O sleeper,
And arise from the dead
And Christ will shine on you.”
This photo was taken while out on a family campout. I saw how the light from the flashlight made me almost as tall as the trees. Sometimes when we are in a dark place in our lives we just need that light to guide us and give us encouragement.

Path of Life - Singing Woods Chillicothe, Illinois

30X40 - $500 available now

John 10:27-28
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
11/13/23
I had a dream where I was walking with Jesus on a path. I was leading a group in prayer and Jesus told me what to say. I felt during the dream that Jesus was my best friend and we both loved each other dearly. His voice was calm and uplifting during the dream.

Great I AM - Ocean Beach Pier San Diego, CA

30X40 - $500 2 to 3 weeks to arrive

Psalm 107:29-30
“He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed, Then they were glad that the waters were quiet; and he brought them to their desired haven.”
When I opened this image out of the box from the print shop, my mind immediately started to sing “Great I AM” so I thought it would fitting to be the title of this photo.

Web Traps

16x24 - $250 available now

Web Traps-
Psalm 31:4
“You take me out of the net they hidden for me and you are my refuge”
Spider webs remind me how invisible the spiritual warfare that goes on in our souls. Satan tries to trap us, temps us, and tells us his lies. We can’t always see these traps as spider webs are only visible when light hits us.

Cleanse from Sin

16X20 - $200 available

Cleanse from Sin-
Psalm 51:10
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
I let the boys play in the mud and documented the whole afternoon. It reminded me how Jesus washes away our sin and makes us clean.

Sunset Path Shadow

8x10 - $100 available now

Smoke

8x10 - Set of 3 $200 available

Smoke-
What smell reminds you of the past? For myself, smoke brings back memories. Cigarette smoke is a smell that makes me think of my dad taking that long drag and blowing it out in such a dramatic but soothing way. My dad wasn’t a man of words, but you could tell how he felt by how he smoked. One of my earliest memories is walking through the cloud of smoke and swatting it for entertainment. Dad worked 3rd shift for the railroad, and would come home in the wee hours of the morning. I’d smell the smoke and know he made it home safe that night.

Smoke

8x10 - Set of 3 $200 available

Smoke-
What smell reminds you of the past? For myself, smoke brings back memories. Cigarette smoke is a smell that makes me think of my dad taking that long drag and blowing it out in such a dramatic but soothing way. My dad wasn’t a man of words, but you could tell how he felt by how he smoked. One of my earliest memories is walking through the cloud of smoke and swatting it for entertainment. Dad worked 3rd shift for the railroad, and would come home in the wee hours of the morning. I’d smell the smoke and know he made it home safe that night.

Smoke

8x10 - Set of 3 $200 available

Smoke-
What smell reminds you of the past? For myself, smoke brings back memories. Cigarette smoke is a smell that makes me think of my dad taking that long drag and blowing it out in such a dramatic but soothing way. My dad wasn’t a man of words, but you could tell how he felt by how he smoked. One of my earliest memories is walking through the cloud of smoke and swatting it for entertainment. Dad worked 3rd shift for the railroad, and would come home in the wee hours of the morning. I’d smell the smoke and know he made it home safe that night.

Glory Light

30x 40 - $500 available

Glory Light-
Psalm 118:24
“This is the day that the Lord has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Every morning, my boys and I recite this verse as we walk to the bus stop or drive in the car to school. We give thanks to the Lord and I always look up at the clouds to say thank you.

Grasshopper

8x10 - $100 available

The amount of detail that God put into creating just a simple grasshopper attracted my attention.

Spider Web Rain drops

8x10 - $100 1 to 2 weeks to arrive

Praying Light - Mission Trip Pray out for Julie Rolffs

8x10 - $100 1 to 2 weeks to arrive

16x20 - $250 available

Wow, God! Northern Lights-
Psalm 20:4-5
“May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God.”
I have desired for a long time to photograph the Northern Lights. I never dreamed it would be possible to see them, let alone in my own town. God gifted me this amazing moment to share with my husband, Doug.

Come Sit with Me-

16x20 - $250 available

Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God..”
In life we get busy and rush. Do we ever sit down? Why do we forget to play as adults?

Illinois River Sunset

8x10 - $100 1 to 2 weeks to arrive

Abide

8x10 - $100 available

The 2nd time I audible heard God's voice speaking to me as he whispered into my ear, Abide in me, Jackie.

Sunset Train

8x10 - $100 available

My dad worked as a train engineer when I hear the train whistle I think of him saying, hello from heaven.

Heart Cloud

8x10 - $100 available

The first time I ever heard God's voice in 2020, I was working in my garden pulling weeds. I had been singing worship songs while working. I felt his presence and looked up seeing this light coming from the cloud. I was overcome with awe and emotion.

Mr. Blue Sky

8x10 - $100 available

I often I am in awe of how clouds form and how each day they never look the exact same.

Wooden Path - Camp Wokanda

8x10 - $100 available

This is one of my favorite hikes in the Peoria, Illinois area at the Lake trail at Camp Wokanda. I always end up taking multiple photographs of this trail as I walk.

Snow Path- Singing Woods Chillicothe, Illinois

8x10 - $100 available

Blankie

NFS

As a child, my blanket was my prized possession. I loved the comfort it gave me. God is like a blanket. Warm, cozy, and soothing to the soul.

Hunter

NFS

How to Order:

Please fill out info and which photo you'd like to purchase with the title. I will send you a Square invoice to pay via online. All images are available in custom sizing. Please email me for pricing.

309-265-7513

jacklynbyrd@yahoo.com

Bio

Jacklyn Surratt (otherwise known as, Jackie) is a Peoria, Illinois photographer, that lives in Chillicothe, Illinois. At a young age, Jackie, loved looking at photos in the family photo album and pictures in magazines. Jackie was gifted her very first camera, a Canon film camera, from her Uncle Al. In high school, she took a photography class that focused on the developing film and the printing process. Jackie attended SIU Carbondale, getting her degree in Bachelor of Arts with her main focus on fine art photography. Jackie found her love of documentary photography while taking a class called Small Town Documentary. A class that focused on getting to know people of a small town of 600 people and asking to document their lives. After graduation in 2005, Jackie has had a handful of jobs in the photography field, such as a photo retoucher and image researcher at a stock photography company. Jackie started her own business in 2010, Jacklyn Byrd Photography. For the past 15 years, she has been blessed to document weddings and family portraits. One of the highlights of her career, was when she did a photo shoot for Illinois CancerCare in 2023, where one of her photographs of a cancer survivor was featured on a billboard in the Peoria area. Most of Jackie’s personal work is in inspired by God’s light and capturing God’s presence over her life.