honorable mention
Thomas Ladd united states
title
Sheep Pasture Gardens
The Sheep Pasture Gardens are community vegetable gardens which are tended by residence of North Easton, Massachusetts. I began to make photographs there as a refuge from my busy and noisy life. I could focus on the beauty of the landscape, reflect on changes of the season and admire the elegant structure of plants. Yet, over time the garden landscape became less fanciful. During my visits I noticed that food was left unharvested to rot. The gardens appear to be therapeutic hobbies—not essential to the people who cultivate them—and were often forgotten. This promoted me to question how gardens are used by people who truly need them. My research lead me to learn about poverty farming within the Andean Communities of South America. I decided to visit. Presently, I am working on two complimentary projects: the Sheep Pasture Gardens and the Cloud Forest Gardens—each serving a different purpose.
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entry description
Sheep Pasture GardensThe Sheep Pasture Gardens are community vegetable gardens which are tended by residence of North Easton, Massachusetts. I began to make photographs there as a refuge from my busy and noisy life. I could focus on the beauty of the landscape, reflect on changes of the season and admire the elegant structure of plants. Yet, over time the garden landscape became less fanciful. During my visits I noticed that food was left unharvested to rot. The gardens appear to be therapeutic hobbies—not essential to the people who cultivate them—and were often forgotten. This promoted me to question how gardens are used by people who truly need them. My research lead me to learn about poverty farming within the Andean Communities of South America. I decided to visit. Presently, I am working on two complimentary projects: the Sheep Pasture Gardens and the Cloud Forest Gardens—each serving a different purpose.
about the photographer
Thomas Ladd is a photographer, graphic designer, and college professor who lives in North Easton, Massachusetts. Currently, he is engaged in five ongoing photographic projects. Two document places in the Northern Andes where poverty, culture, and the environment are in conflict. Three document places near his home, where he is making pictures of a community vegetable garden, winter landscapes, and recording observations made while taking walks. In addition to his photographic practice, Mr. Ladd is a freelance graphic designer who creates identities, websites, posters, and books. Thomas Ladd has received advanced degrees from Cranbrook Academy of Art and Rhode Island School of Design. He is currently an Associate Professor and Chair of the Design Department at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where he teaches graphic design and photography.back to gallery