Welcome to London Ladd Studios
London Ladd, a lifelong resident of Syracuse, New York started drawing in his late teens and has developed a painting style that is reminiscent of traditional artist. Influenced by great artists such as N.C. and Andrew Wyeth, John Singer Sargeant, Burt Silverman, and Frank Schoonover, just to name a few, his art retains an intensity and emotion that is all his own. With a diversified subject matter due to his multi-racial background, London's painterly style seeps through each piece. Most of his work is created with acrylic paint in his studio. He carries a sketchbook and his paints with him everywhere he goes constantly perfecting his craft.
A graduate of Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration he studied with renowned illustrators James Ransome, Bob Dacey, John Thompson, Yvonne Buchanan and Roger DeMuth learning all aspects of illustration, art and design.
Ladd has partnered with Christine King Farris, older sister of Martin Luther King Jr, for the children’s book, March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed The World, to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. It's published by Scholastic Press and on sale at all major bookstores. March On was honored the 2008 Parents' Choice Awards for Historical Fiction.
Ladd's work has been displayed at the Everson Museum, the Syracuse Jazz Fest and also worked with various recording artists illustrating CD covers. He has completed a mural for the Cultural Resource Council depicting the Bishop Jermain Loguen, an abolitionist who helped escaped slave to freedom in the Underground Railroad.
Currently Ladd is teaching art in the Kuumba Project as part of the Syracuse University's South Side Initiative. The Kuumba Project is an after school program that introduces visual and performing arts like 2D and 3D art as well as dance, writing, and theater to inner city kids starting from middle school through high school and prepares kids for arts college. The word "Kuumba" means creativity and the goal of the Kuumba Project is to challenge children to excel artistically and promote positive visionary thinking and excellence creatively.
