Author: Jenni Ward
Wrapping Up Classes at the Studio
We are in the final days of classes at the new studio for 2016 and everyone will be glazing like mad to get their projects finished for the holidays. There are some amazing gifts being created here for some lucky loved ones! I am always so impressed with my students work; their ideas, craftsmanship and commitment to learning about clay makes it an honor to be their teacher. I love seeing how just the process of touching and manipulating clay in their hands can transform their whole day. I hope you can join us next year at the studio!
If you are interested in being cr8iv at the studio, please join the mailing list, our 2017 schedule will be coming out soon!
Housewarming Gifts
Need a sweet and easy housewarming gift for all those holiday parties coming up?
Throw an Art Heart Ornament over a bottle of your favorite local wine, beer or olive oil and you’ll be all set! This beautiful blue pebble textured heart is over a bottle brew from Sante Adairius brewery in Capitola.
Art Hearts can be found at our Online Shop, or locally at the Santa Cruz Art League, The Homeless Garden Project Store, Ace’s Flowers and Norrie’s Gift & Garden Shop.
NEW: Hearts are in the SHOP!
I’m so excited to launch these 5 new styles of Art Hearts in the online shop! They are available as ornaments or on metal stems and make great gifts for all the creative loves on your list! Shop now…
Open House at the UCSC Arboretum
Join me!
Saturday December 3rd, 10 – 4
Norrie’s Gift Shop at the UCSC Arboretum for their Holiday Open House!
I’ll be showcasing some of my smaller sculptures that are inspired by nature alongside other unique gifts and plants. This is a great opportunity to grab some creative gifts for the nature lovers on your list.
Directions to Norrie’s Gift Shop & the UCSC Arboretum
NEW: Bone Necklaces Are Back!
Back by popular demand, Ceramic Bone Series Necklaces are now back in the online shop!
I know a lot of you were asking for them during Open Studios and I got just a few made in time for the holidays so you can get one for yourself and for someone else as a gift. I wear mine nearly everyday and get compliments on it all the time.
45./each | Shop Here…
If you want to see how art & nature meet, check out this video of my necklace in the surf, see the video here.
December Studio News
Here’s the monthly wrap up of everything going on at the studio…
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Teacher Gift Ideas!
Need a great gift idea for your kids teachers?
Four downloadable ebooks, Create with Clay 1 – 4 were created with my 15+ years experience teaching clay in the classroom and designed with the help of art teacher extraordinaire Kathy Barbro of Art Projects for Kids.
Each book includes 5 step-by-step classroom tested projects for working with clay. If your kid’s school doesn’t have a clay or art program, this can be a simple way to help teachers give some creative classroom time to their students.
At only $5. each they are an affordable and unique gift for any teacher.
Giving Tuesday!
Some of you know that I’ve spent quite a bit of time in post-earthquake Haiti. I’ve collaborated with artists there, brought supplies, like books, solar lights, laptops and art materials to kids in orphanages and schools and I also helped raise funds to purchase 60 goats for a rural community’s livestock program. I have strong friendships from these projects and a deep admiration for those who are still there helping make the country a better place.
Locally, I’ve partnered with the Homeless Garden Project and local schools to help give art supplies and create small community projects that beautify a space or give someone an experience they might not otherwise have. I believe that art has the power to create change and it is my obligation to share my creative talent with others. You can read more about my philanthropic projects here.
A lot of the way that I’ve made these projects happen is through the sale of my ceramic Art Hearts. These sweet little hearts are fun for me to make and give me a break from the seriousness of my sculptures and installations. They are loved by everyone who receives one and each sale makes it possible for me make projects like these happen.
So if you believe in giving on Giving Tuesday, please consider purchasing an Art Heart or two in my online shop or making a donation to your favorite non-profit. If you want to donate to a Haitian organization, I can recommend Haiti Communitere, Ti Kay and Keep Winter’s School Open without hesitation- all of your donations will go directly to support the Haitian communities these groups serve.
Thanks for sharing the love this holiday season!
Opt Outside
Ok, so it’s ‘black friday’, perhaps the stupidest made up day ever but as a small business owner and artist I’d love to tell you to go BUY ART! I’d love to pitch why my art is the perfect gift for all the creative people on your list and how important it is to support small businesses and local artists. And I really do believe that and I really do love to give and get art as a gift but today I’m not going to do that.
Instead, I will be outside hiking, sleeping in my tent and cooking over a camp stove and I hope that you get a chance to do all or part of that too. The hashtag #optoutside created by REI is something I can get behind. As an artist, connecting with nature and being inspired by nature is what it’s all about. Gift shopping can wait, so I encourage you all to #optoutside today!
See ya out there!