Sharon Lee Hart

(b.1975) lives in Florida
DeeDee, 2009 (selected from the Sanctuary project)
black and white photograph printed with archival ink, 40 x 40 inches, 2015.65.23

I visited and photographed the animal residents at ten US farm animal sanctuaries, which are all dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and lifelong care of abused and neglected farmed animals. A formal portrait was made of each animal to highlight his or her personality and convey dignity. The resulting photographs are black and white to emphasize a sense of tradition and to keep the focus on each animal’s expression. The portraits are titled with each animal’s name to further personalize the image. I chose to photograph each animal alone, to remind the viewer that they represent the few survivors and “lottery winners” that now live in a safe, loving environment. – Hart

Hart earned her B.F.A. from Maine College of Art and M.F.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Hart maintains a studio in South Florida, where she is the head of the photography program and an Assistant Professor of Art at Florida Atlantic University. In 2010 Hart received a Professional Development Support grant from The Tennessee Arts Commission and in 2012 her Sanctuary project was exhibited in the Nashville International Airport. Her book, Sanctuary: Portraits of Rescued Farm Animals was published in the fall of 2012.