" We are privileged to have two icons by Julia’s hand in our home: one of St. Euphrosynos in our kitchen and the other a family icon for one of our daughters in our prayer corner.  The icons are beautiful, and our daughter frequently reaches out to touch her saint.  The style is unique but traditional.  Her icon is a blessing in our prayer corner and is a window to St. Vera, the child martyr."  

B. Jackson, USA

“Sometimes, when gazing upon an icon, one becomes aware that the iconographer must have had an exalted inner vision when painting the icon, that he/she saw something, the spiritual, light-filled beauty of the Saviour and his saints. That is what one hopes for in an icon, for it also means that the iconographer must have praying when he/she painted, for otherwise such an inner vision would not have been granted, and this in turn may inspire in the onlooker a desire to enter into that communion too. What more can one ask of the iconographer, than that he or she should inspire us to pray with faith and love, to seek the grace of God? If I may say so (for who am I to judge such things?), Julia’s icons do indeed show us this spiritual beauty we should all desire and they can inspire us in this way.”

Archimandrite Jacobus, South Africa

"Elegant and meticulous…
These are two words that encapsulate the essence of the icon of St. Philoumenos of Jacob’s Well written by Julia Bridget Hayes.  It is clear that great thought and attention went into each detail of the icon – from the lettering of the inscription to each link of his pectoral cross.  Julia has a talent of writing icons that are different from others; they are sublime.  At first glance the difference seems to be merely in style, particularly as it relates to her use of colors which are often bright and airy.  However, this demonstrates her understanding of icons as windows into heaven.  In heaven we find the saints basking in the luminous radiance of the Glory of the Triune God – so too in her icons we find the saints enveloped by this Divine Light and emanating the light of Christ which dwells within them.  I highly recommend Julia’s iconography to all.  Contact her for a commission and open a window into heaven in your own home!"

Justin (Philoumenos), USA

Iconography is the living expression of the Divine Beauty of the Orthodox Faith. Good Iconography creates a bridge between the earth and the heaven. Sublime Iconography does all of this and allows the believer to gaze into eternity and commune with those whom the icons depict - and this is what Julia has managed to do. I have had the great blessing and privilege to have two icons, with a third coming very soon, commissioned and painted by the hand of Julia. Julia's beautiful use of colours and immense care for detail is profound. The modest gaze of the persons in the icons, in my case Saints Ignatius of Antioch and Alexander of Alexandria, allow for an intimate face to face encounter. In a world where mass production, even in iconography, is the norm and everything is a direct replica of the other to achieve maximum profit, such delicacy and finesse is a sight for sore eyes. I thank Julia for her incredible patience especially with one like me who is never precisely sure of what he wants. I thank her also for her accommodation and willingness to experiment with gold leaf lettering and also with Coptic writing. I would never dream of finding another Iconographer after seeing Julia's work, God willing with every new child in the family there will be an icon from Julia. I would and have recommended Julia to all who ask me for hand-painted icons. Julia, your icons have pride of place in our family icon corner and may the Lord bless and guide your hand, ever bringing more people face to face with Christ and those who are icons of Him.

Fr. Alexander Aziz, Australia