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Bayard Wootten was a photographer of Southern Appalachia and its people. In the 1920s she came to western North Carolina to record everyday life. She is best known for her portrait photography, especially of working people living in rural agricultural communities. Her goal was to reveal the character of her subjects, but in doing so she created images that evoke nostalgia for a lost way of life. Her career peaked in the 1930s, when she was in great demand as an exhibitor and lecturer. Among her published collections are Cabins in the Laurel and From My Highest Hill: Carolina Mountain Folks. An equal rights advocate, she worked tirelessly to create opportunities for other women to establish careers in photography.
To learn more please visit NCpedia.
