Surgeon has the ‘heart’ for photography

The worlds of heart surgery and visual art may appear far removed from each other, but for Dr Sherard Little, they provide a unique balance between the precision of his profession and the freedom of creative expression.

That passion for photography propelled the heart surgeon to the top of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s (JCDC) 2026 Visual Arts Competition, earning him the title of Best Overall Artist after six of his seven entries received medals. Among them were two gold and four silver medals for photographs capturing the richness of Jamaican culture and religious traditions, including scenes from the Maroon Festival in Accompong and the Revival Festival in Watt Town. Little received the award at the 2026 JCDC Visual Arts Awards Ceremony, held recently at the The Summit in New Kingston.

Little’s interest in photography began in childhood, when his father introduced him to the camera; he became the family’s unofficial photographer. He later honed his skills through short courses at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts under photographer Donette Zacca and as a member of the Jamaica Photography Society. Today, photography provides a creative outlet from the demands of his medical career, with his lens often drawn to Jamaica’s people, landscapes and cultural traditions.