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.

A repeat entrant in the JCDC Visual Arts Competition, Little has participated approximately five times over the past decade, using the competition as both a platform for exposure and a measure of his growth as an artist.

“It is an opportunity for artists to become known. And it’s a measuring stick to see how well we are doing,” he said. Previous disappointments only pushed him to refine his craft and return with renewed focus — persistence that paid off this year with the best overall artist title.

“I am on top of the world. I am overjoyed, overwhelmed. I can’t use many words right now,” Little said. He described the recognition as humbling, particularly among a field of artists whose work he admires, and credited his mentor, fellow photographers, family and friends for supporting his development over the years.

His work also drew praise from Culture Minister Olivia Grange, who congratulated him on his achievement and commended his ability to capture culturally rich experiences that tell an authentic Jamaican story.

“Dr Little represents the calibre of artists that this competition continues to discover and showcase. With this achievement, he joins a distinguished list of Jamaican artists who have passed through the JCDC Visual Arts Competition and gone on to make their mark on Jamaica’s creative landscape,” Grange said.

Delivering the keynote address at the awards ceremony, Grange reflected on the more than six-decade legacy of the JCDC Visual Arts Competition and its role in providing Jamaican artists with opportunities to develop, compete, exhibit and gain recognition. She also pointed to the continued growth of the competition, which recorded 372 medal-winning entries this year, 60 more than in 2025, and underscored the importance of recognising creativity as an economic asset and continuing to invest in Jamaica’s artists and cultural heritage.

Little hopes his success will encourage other artists to put their work forward and use the competition as part of their own development.

“I would say just do it. It is an excellent springboard for you to be recognised. You can gauge where you are in your own artistic journey,” he said.

For Little, the six medals and best overall artist title mark another milestone in a photographic journey driven by his appreciation for Jamaica’s people, places, traditions and stories.