About the Artist

Stephanie Harlan was born in 1951 in Dayton, Ohio. She earned art degrees at the University of Michigan and the Cranbrook Academy of Art. She moved to Fairbanks in 1978, where she began to work almost entirely in photography. She rebuilt a lithography press and constructed a print shop at her home.

During the 1980s, Harlan created a series of black and white photographs of sled dogs. She was inspired by the slanting light of northern winters, the fast-paced activity of sled dog racing, and the graceful movement of the dogs. She often photographed single dogs, presenting a portrait of an individual that might be missed when an entire, over-excited team is present.

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What inspired Stephanie Harlan to take photographs of sled dogs?