Janet Holmes: Someone not Something
December 2-30, 2017

People who visit a farm animal sanctuary for the first time often do not know what to expect. Sure, they know a sheep is woolly, a cow is big and roosters crow, but those are just superficial descriptions.

Looking deeply into a goat’s eyes and realizing that someone, not something, is looking back at you can change your life. When you acknowledge that a chicken and a pig and a cow and a sheep can feel love – yes, love – and that they can feel fear, exhilaration, loss and joy, then you have deepened your understanding of the world and your place in it.

That’s the power of visiting an animal sanctuary, but not everyone can make the trip. Janet Holmes makes and shares portraits of the residents of farm sanctuaries, so that viewers can experience what she has experienced – that in the ways that truly matter, we are all the same.

Janet’s award-winning portraits of rescued farm animals have been included in juried shows throughout the USA. She works exclusively on a non-profit basis, donating her services and 100% of her profits from print and book sales to animal welfare groups.

BIO
Janet Holmes grew up in British Columbia, then fled to cities (Toronto, London, Paris and New York) and pursued a career as a lawyer for many years.

A few years ago, she began volunteering with animal rescue groups. She picked up a DSLR at the same time and decided to learn how to use it. Naturally, she pointed her lens at animals … and was captivated. Janet completed the International Center of Photography’s One-Year CE Track Program in 2015, and now devotes much of her spare time to portraiture of rescued animals.