The Ladd Brothers: Scrollathon - A Community Project

The Florida submission for the National Scrollathon made at
Sarasota Art Museum: "You and Me, Me and You, All of Us Together" 

If everyone could have a bit of the Ladd Brothers in their lives, the world would be a better place. Seriously. The expression
"I've never met a stranger" seems made for these big-hearted, generous, genuine and enthusiastic artists. I found it impossible to be in a room with them and not feel their positive energy. My response to them is not unique. While spending a single afternoon with Steven and William during an early Scrollathon project, a student drew pictures of them as super heroes. They and their work are indeed that powerful. (They were so touched that they saved the drawings, shown below.) But perhaps I should back up a little. 

The Ladd Brothers were on hand at Sarasota Art Museum in early September to open their exhibit "Lead with a Laugh." Their work is all about their stories, and they were eager to share them with the docent team. I fell in love with their energy then and was excited to know they would be returning for the kick-off of their National Scrollathon project (although I have to admit I didn't quite understand how it worked). 

Steven and William as Super Heroes

Since 2006, the Ladd Brothers have been engaging with students, seniors, physically and mentally challenged individuals, inmates and all kinds of community groups to create scroll art. They often work with constituencies that need healing. (Their work with students at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL particularly touched my heart.) The concept is purposefully simple so everyone can succeed. Trust me, if I can do it, anyone can. 

Steven and William Ladd -- You get a sense of their vibe! 

Participants are invited to select two belt-like scrolls of different colors approximately 18" long. Once you've rolled them together -- starting with one color and overlapping the second when you get close to the end of the first. The scrolls are secured with a straight pin and you have your work of art. I said it was simple! But then comes the important part. 

The "artists" are invited to name their work and share the story behind it with the group. There's no pressure to share, but you can if you want. It's a surprisingly powerful experience to have people hear your story. For many participants, it's an opportunity that doesn't often arise. In my session, people talked about family members they've lost and the power of love and persevering through life's ups and downs. One woman broke down and cried (something that apparently happens frequently). Participants keep that scroll as a memento and then create a second scroll to be included in the group work. At the end, an individual picture is taken of everyone who participated in the event for future display. 

Some of the 600 people (including me!) who participated
in Sarasota's Scrollathon. It gives you a sense of the diversity. 

In 2019, the Ladd Brothers worked with 750 local participants in the D.C. area to create both their own scrolls and scrolls for what would ultimately be a mural comprised of more than 8,000 handmade scrolls. The work -- entitled "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" -- was then put on display at the Kennedy Center. While there, the Kennedy Center team asked William and Steven about their hopes and dreams. Never ones to think small, they said their dream was to create a national scrollathon exhibit. Representative works would be created in each state, D.C.and the five territorities. Works would also be made at ten Regional Native American Centers across the country with the hope that members of all tribes could participate. The goals: To show that we are more alike than different. To show that no single person (as represented by a scroll) is more important than another. And to show that together diverse people can create something beautiful and lasting.

"Let's do it!" the Kennedy Center folks said. And so the National Scrollathon project was created. The exhibit will be on display in D.C. in 2026 in commemoration of the 250th signing of the Declaration of Independence. "You and Me, Me and You, All of Us Together" -- created at our own Sarasota Art Museum -- will be Florida's submission. I am thrilled to have participated. 

"Abstract Chaos" (2018 - made 
in collaboration with those in custody
at the Manhattan Detention Center

I'd be remiss if I didn't write about the Ladd Brothers' work with the NY City Correctional System (including Rikers) over the last nine years. They do basically the same thing with inmates and guards that they did in Sarasota. The groups are smaller -- generally eight or so people instead of the 25+ people groups we had here. But the concept is the same (without the photos, which cannot be taken due to privacy issues). 

In telling us about their experiences, Steven and William admitted it was a bit scary at first. But they soon realized the inmates are people just like everyone else. They sometimes end up in lockdown with the participants, which gives them the chance to learn more about their lives. Occasionally they make a small misstep, like when they asked some inmates about their childhoods. They quickly realized that prisoners generally didn't grow up in loving families like the Ladds did and that they don't want to talk about their early years. Rikers now has a permanent art studio where the Ladds work with the diverse population -- male and female, old and young, people of varying ethnicities and gender orientation. While in Sarasota, the Ladds did two sessions in our local correctional facility with men and women in the rehab unit. 

Beaded self-portraits

Hopefully this post has given you a sense of how special the Ladds Brothers are and why I feel so fortunate to have had the chance to spend some time with them. To read more about their work in Rikers, click here and here. The first link includes a video so you can hear from them firsthand. The second link includes a program with descriptions of some of the works they've created in response to those experiences. To see more of their Scrollathon works, click here. For more videos of the guys talking about their work, click here. The videos give you a sense of what it's like to be in the same room with them. And if you're in the Sarasota area, you have an opportunity to do just that on December 8th when the Ladd Brothers will give speak at the Museum. Click here and scroll (get it???) through all the other great events at the Museum until you get to December. Trust me when I say it will be an experience you'll always remember.