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inspiration for new work

This summer the desert plants on our property have been growing like crazy – I swear that you could watch them grow if you just sat down for long enough. The desert is opportunistic in that way, when there is water, the switch is turned on and everything goes for it. When there isn’t water, the switch is off and everything goes dormant and is questionably dead looking.

I have always made wiggly spiral forms in my work from the very beginning, so sometimes it feels so comfortable to go back to these shapes. These shapes are everywhere in nature from seashells to water flow to wood grain. Here I’m seeing the tendrils of vines creeping across the desert, the aloe leaves growing and lizard tails whipping. It’s so fun to take these newer inspirations and create older familiar forms in a new way and new combination. I’m not sure if I’ll make more of these or if they will evolve into something else, but I’m enjoying having them in the studio and watching them talk to each other.

new events calendar

Just a heads up that we have a new events calendar posted on the Earth Art Studio website: Events Calendar. You can subscribe to the calendar so that you don’t miss out on anything. But, if that’s too much, you can also add individual events to your personal digital calendar so all the details are in one spot. You don’t want to miss out on things like Open Studios or the opening of our next group exhibition Atmosphere and we have plans in the works for a new Hecho a Mano Mercado going on before the gift giving season. We will be adding more fun things as the details come together, so check back often, but in the meantime, take a peek and put some ‘save the dates’ on your calendar!

new work: holdfasts

A holdfast in biology is a root like structure that anchors an aquatic organism, like seaweed or kelp to a substrate, usually a rock or boulder, creating a literal anchor to keep the plant from being swept away in the currents.

Plankton in biology are defined as marine drifters. So anything that isn’t able to actively propel itself in a direction is considered a plankton, sometimes that might be at one stage of an organisms life, like a larval state.

new work: holdfasts | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture new work: holdfasts | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture new work: holdfasts | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture

In these new works, I love conceptually contrasting these ideas with my porcelain plankton inspired pieces delicately attached to a stoneware based keeping them securely anchored down. These pieces can be displayed on a flat surface or attached to to a wall. Come visit the studio to see them in person and pick one (or more!) out for your home.

new work growing in the sculpture garden!

This summer, I’ve been busy making parts for a bunch of new stacked sculptures that will land in the garden very soon! It’s hard to imagine what these pieces will really look like in the end when they’re all assembled and installed but the process is part of the fun.

I stack the individual parts as I build them in the studio to get an idea of how they will interact with each other. All of the parts are fired, glazed and fired again. Then they get assembled on their steel bases with rods cut to the appropriate height to support the work. The fun part is finding where they get to live in the garden, making you question sometimes if that’s a real plant or a sculpture.

new work growing in the sculpture garden! | Jenni Ward Earth Art Studio new work growing in the sculpture garden! | Jenni Ward Earth Art Studio new work growing in the sculpture garden! | Jenni Ward Earth Art Studio

All of these works are inspired by the plants, the seed pods, the flowers and the amazing natural world that surrounds my studio – I’m just making my own take on all these forms, textures and colors. Come see these pieces in person or pick one out to transplant to your own garden space!

we’re back

After a summer hiatus from creating blog posts for the dirt, we’re back! While we are still experiencing a steamy, hot summer that just won’t quit here in southern Baja, we are ready to get back to business! We are loving what all the rain did to our desert, transforming it from bare branches into a verdant, lush jungle – plan a visit while it lasts!

Here’s some quick announcements about what’s been going on here if you missed them in your monthly emails:

  • Workshop Schedule for the season is posted – join us at the studio for a creative session!

  • You can book your Desert Art Tour here or contact us to set up a private tour/workshop at the studio for your group or retreat.

  • Events at the studio are starting to take shape, so mark your calendars – we’ve got a lot of amazing things planned!

work in progress: cyanotype

I’ve been experimenting with the process of cyanotype combined with my porcelain plankton shaped pieces. The silhouette of the porcelain pieces creates an ethereal water-like quality and with the variations of exposure time and base material, there are a lot of variations to play with. It’s also got a ton of potential for large scale installation applications.

But, I’ve started off simple creating circular designs on tote bags – I’ve only made a few so far but I already love them! I’m debating between adding in an Earth Art Studio logo to the design and/or creating ceramic tags to hang off the straps, let me know if you have an opinion on this! Once I dial it in, I’m hoping to have these up for sale in the online shop soon and also available at the studio. Here’s a few pics of the first batch in progress.

work in progress: cyanotype | the dirt | Jenni Ward Earth Art Studio work in progress: cyanotype | the dirt | Jenni Ward Earth Art Studio work in progress: cyanotype | the dirt | Jenni Ward Earth Art Studio work in progress: cyanotype | the dirt | Jenni Ward Earth Art Studio

looking for something unique?

There is something that happens when you buy directly from an artist. You don’t just take home an object — you take home a story, a relationship, and a small piece of someone’s life work. I’ve worked with clients over the past 20+ years to place existing works or create custom works for their homes.

During the pandemic when everyone was locked up and staring at their walls, I had so many clients reach out to thank me for the art that graced their spaces. They shared that the work brought them joy during a dark time and gave them solace as we all moved towards an uncertain future.

collected works | portfolio | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture

When you buy from any independent artist, maker, or local business, you keep a creative practice alive and says that you value the human hand over the machine. So if you’re looking for a unique piece that will keep sharing its story, reach out to get the conversation started – consultations are free!

help our garden grow!

building community through art | the dirt | Earth Art Studio

The sculpture garden at Earth Art Studio is a perpetual work in progress. We want you to have new corners to visit and new art to enjoy, making each visit unique. When you donate, you help us…

  • create new sculptures + installations for the permanent collection of the garden
  • off-set local artists costs for exhibiting like transportation, installation + infrastructure
  • maintain the sculpture trail – the desert likes to take over!
  • make upgrades to the garden like new features, nooks + trails to explore
  • make visits free to local schools + educational groups

DONATE NOW

When You Donate: a ceramic tile with your name stamped on it will be added to the sculpture garden in gratitude for your support! Mil Gracias!