J.C. Heywood was born in 1941 in Toronto, Ontario. He studied at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto from 1959-63, and at Atelier 17 in Paris, France from 1967-69.

Heywood has exhibited his prints in numerous solo shows across Canada, and participated in many international graphics exhibitions in East Berliln, Taiwan, Norway, Yugoslavia, Poland, China and New Mexico.

In 2008, Heywood was the subject of a touring exhibition organized by the Burnaby Art Gallery. This retrospective exhibition and accompanying catalogue J.C. Heywood: A Life In Layers chronicles Heywoods evolution as an artist and printmaker.

J.C. Heywood currently lives and works in Montreal.