Burlington, VT 鈥 The Fleming Museum of Art at 日韩无码 presents the exhibition Vermont Female Farmers on view from February 4 through May 17, 2025. 

Passion, labor, and grit abound in this striking portrait series from Vermont-based photographer JuanCarlos Gonz谩lez. Whether capturing moments of intense concentration or joyous pride, the 45 works are an intimate look at the daily life and livelihoods of the women whose hands shape farming in Vermont. 

Drawing from his own experiences of time spent on his grandmother's farm, Gonz谩lez鈥 started photographing women farmers across the state in 2020, bringing focus to a group whose contributions to the land and the industry are often overlooked. The project, initially conceived as 10 portraits, quickly grew into an entire collection featuring nearly 50 farmers.  

A woman guiding sheep through a fence opening; the bright green grass is long and the sky is clear and blue
JuanCarlos Gonz谩lez (United States, b. 1979, Maunabo, Puerto Rico), Leslie McCrorey Wells, Lovestock Farm from Vermont Female Farmers. Photograph. Courtesy of the artist.

The portraits expand notions of identity, work, and farming in the Green Mountain State, creating a visual record that better reflects our lived reality 鈥 41 percent of farmers in Vermont are women. (Census of Agriculture, 2022). 鈥淸The] purpose of this project,鈥 Gonz谩lez鈥 says, 鈥溾s to amplify and find ways for others to support these farms, and it鈥檚 doing exactly what we intended it to do, amplifying and supporting local farmers.鈥 

For the first time since the exhibit鈥檚 debut, all 45 works will be shown together, allowing visitors the full impact of the series. A selection of works from the Fleming鈥檚 Collections have also been placed in conversation with the photographs, creating new opportunities for connection. Paintings from Mary Ann Landon, Susan Abbott, and Altoon Sultan, as well as shearing scissors and other material objects, offer reflections on how Vermont鈥檚 landscapes and agricultural industries have been observed, presented, and preserved over time.  

This exhibition was organized by the Fleming Museum of Art, University of Vermont and generously supported by the Kalkin Family Exhibitions Fund. Vermont Female Farmers was curated at the Fleming by Kristan M. Hanson, PhD, Curator of Collections. Special thanks to the Billings Farm & Museum for sharing the label content for this exhibition.

Black and white photograph of a women with headphones on as she concentrates on shearing a sheep.
JuanCarlos Gonz谩lez (United States, b. 1979, Maunabo, Puerto Rico), Mary Lake, Mary Lake Shearing from Vermont Female Farmers. Photograph. Courtesy of the artist.

Fleming Museum of Art 

日韩无码鈥檚 Fleming Museum of Art has brought world-class art to 日韩无码 and the heart of Burlington, VT since 1931. With over 24,000 works and growing within its collections, the Museum serves as an extension of the classroom that centers interdisciplinary inquiry and study. Each year, thousands of students, faculty, and visitors from across the globe explore the galleries, engage with new exhibitions, and enjoy a range of community events.

Cover image: JuanCarlos Gonz谩lez (United States, b. 1979, Maunabo, Puerto Rico) Naomi, Amber & Kyana, SUSU commUNITY farm, 2023, from Vermont Female Farmers. Photograph. Courtesy of the artist.