Shortly after she was hired by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in the mid-1990s, photographer Robin Layton shot one of the more memorable photos in local sports history: the famous image of a gleeful Ken Griffey Jr. at the bottom of a body pile of fellow Mariners after the team won the 1995 AL West title.

Since leaving the print P-I, the woman once chosen among the top eight photographers in the country by Life magazine has developed a client roster that includes Kenny G, Paula Abdul, Jennifer Aniston, Sarah Jessica Parker, Bill Gates, the king and queen of Qatar, Oprah Winfrey and Tobey Maguire. Read about Layton’s career in a P-I story by Susan Phinney.

Layton occasionally shot photos for my reviews and music features during our careers at the P-I. More recently Layton created the cover photos of singer-songwriter and peace activist Snatam Kaur’s “Liberation’s Door” CD. The above photo of singer-guitarist John Mayer was taken at a private event last February at the Experience Music Project.

Layton, who lives and works in Los Angeles (she built a home in North Bend in the late ’90s), will return to Seattle for a photography-and-art exhibition from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Engine Room at the old Rainier Brewery Building, 5890 Airport Way S. Layton will debut her art pieces combining photographs and found artifacts, among them a piece titled “Brokeback Tulips.” You can view some of them here.

Despite her work with so many celebrities, Layton describes this week’s exhibit as “one of the biggest nights of my life.” Tom Douglas will provide the nibbles, and the wine and champagne will be flowing — for as long as it lasts.

The public is welcome to the free showing.