Monroe Musician Jeff Guidry’s new book, An Eagle Named Freedom, is a love story between man and bird. It also documents two very different journeys – Freedom the eagle’s at Sarvey Wildlife Care Center in Arlington, and Guidry’s battle with lymphoma.Photographer Annie Marie Musselman also volunteers her time at Sarvey and has documented the journeys of the many other animals they help. She says, “The work I produce documents the delicate union that exists between humans and animals. It’s not just the actual places where were our lives often intersect, like a park or forest, but the spaces where our emotions meet. When a creature on an examining table turns toward my camera, I see the universal reactions of pain and confusion in its eyes. The work documents the infirmed animals’ recovery with a sense of wonder as they heal, hoping to return to the wild forests of the Northwest. I hope to capture the palpable emotions in my photographs because I can’t help but contemplate how much we actually know about each other.It took a long time before I understood what I wanted to say with these pictures and why I was inspired there. The more I was around these animals, the more I saw their inner beauty and intelligence and the more frustrated I became by our world and how much of nature is neglected or destroyed. I believe the wild creatures among us embody the instinct and love we have lost, and with this I realized more and more the purpose of my work.” All photos courtesy of Annie Marie Musselman. Published on May 18, 2010