Gideon Hay was born in Southport, England. Being the son of well-known fashion photographer Gordon Hay, the family spent time in Toronto, Mazatlan, Vancouver Island and Vancouver B.C. It was while in Vancouver that Gideon developed a keen interest in monsters, creatures, animals, and nature in general. Some of his early influences were the films of Ray Harryhausen, Willis O'Brien's "King Kong", both Hammer and Universal monster movies as well as "Star Wars". Living near the university endowment lands at UBC, a beautiful natural setting, Gideon would hang around the Entomology and Vertebrate Museum at the Zoology building. In time, he was offered a job with a professor, who had a collection of over two thousand snakes and lizards, which inspired Gideon's artistic talents and he began to dra