Artist struggling after Public gallery fiasco

The artist at the centre of the storm over the missing pet pictures taken at troubled Black Country arts centre The Public says she has been left thousands of pounds out of pocket after the gallery went into administration.

Speaking from her home in Canada, renowned photographer Shari Hatt today revealed she had received no money for projects she was contracted to work on by The Public Gallery Ltd. The Montreal artist says she is now struggling after the company went into administration, owing her thousands.

Dog owners who paid £50 to have their pets pictured before Christmas were told this week that they could lose their payments and their photos after Public Gallery Limited, which organised the shoot, folded last week.

Shari said: "I lost thousands of dollars, not just through taking the pictures, but travelling to and staying in the UK, paying for medical insurance and a work visa.

"Now it looks like my own company could go into administration. I am absolutely devastated about what has happened."

In total 72 dog owners each spent £50 on portraits of their pets to be shown at the gallery which has never opened inside the £63 million West Bromwich arts centre.

Bob Bailey, joint administrator at Baker Tilly, confirmed the photographer had not been paid for her work or expenses.

He said: "It seems that the artist Shari Hatt has not been paid for her work by The Public Gallery Limited.

"The worst case scenario is that no-one gets their pictures and she doesn't get paid, however, we are trying to resolve everything in a positive manner."

People travelled from across the country to get their dogs snapped. But furious pet owners have seen nothing of the prints or their money. Helen O'Reilly, aged 43, of Stanley Road, West Bromwich, said: "I paid £100 and was told the pictures would be at The Public within a week, then another a few weeks later blaming delays on bad weather in Canada. It now seems none of this was true."