I needed to create a photograph archive that tells the story of the farm so the craft is preserved for future generations

The Somerset Willow Farmers is a physique of labor that explores the day-to-day lives of the standard willow farmers at Musgrove Willows, primarily based within the village of Westonzoyland, close to Bridgwater. With this undertaking, photographer Josh Lomen aimed to seize the abilities, character and experience of present-day willow farmers working inside a standard panorama.

“This topic got here to gentle as I used to be researching some concepts for my remaining main undertaking at college. I used to be combating concepts for some time however I’d all the time needed to concentrate on the landscapes of Somerset with my work. Someday, I got here throughout an article in regards to the heritage crafts of the UK and the way some are vulnerable to changing into extinct. So I began taking a look at what native crafts Somerset is thought for and I got here throughout willow crafting. I began researching this and the following day, I used to be given a enterprise card for a neighborhood willow farm. I made contact and so they had been actually happy to get behind this undertaking. 

I needed to create an archive of labor that tells their story of the farm and lives in order that the craft is preserved for future generations. The farm is one among solely a small handful on this planet that produces genuine willow coffins so it was fascinating attending to go behind the scenes and seeing the entire course of from the chopping of the willow proper by to including the ending touches to the coffins. It was a particular factor attending to see these masters of the craft at work.