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    Work in Progress…

    Here’s a little catch up on what’s been going on in the studio these days and why I’ve been posting a little less than usual!

    Work in Progress... | the dirt | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture

    Work on my public art project for the University of Florida Gainesville campus has taken over the studio. All the hardware and parts for the installation have been decided upon and ordered, massive amounts of clay and glazes were picked up and paper templates of the areas art will be placed were made. So, it was time to just start making a ton of parts and now, my days have been filled with hours and hours of carving holes in the ceramic discs. I’ve piled up about 100 finished pieces so far with more still drying or waiting for a ride through the kiln. So I started laying the finished pieces out on the paper templates I’ve made and I’m pretty pleased with the progress so far and I’m looking forward to seeing it installed in September!

    Field Trip!

    After a run up to San Francisco airport to drop off my parents, we decided to spend the rest of the day in the city. It’s easy to forget how close San Francisco is to Santa Cruz and I know I get complacent about taking time to get there to take advantage of all the city has to offer. Even though I love the busyness of cities, I somehow always end up finding the quite nature spots in between all the buildings and the bustle.

    Field Trip! | the dirt | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture

    The Presidio is one of my favorite areas and I was so thrilled to finally check out three installations by my favorite artist. Over the years, Andy Goldsworthy has installed a number of pieces in the Presidio using found materials. There is also a crack in the de Young Museums entry floor and a piece named Tree Fall which was closed the day we were there. These pieces are Spire, Earth Wall and Wood Line – be sure to check them out for yourself!

    Sculpture IS: 2019

    Sculpture IS: In the Garden 2019, marks the thirteenth sculpture exhibit in partnership with Sierra Azul Nursery
    and Garden. Visit the stunning two-acre demonstration garden, relax under the umbrellas, bring your picnic lunch, and spend an afternoon enjoying the exhibit.

    Sculpture IS: 2019 Opens! | events | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture

    I have new works from my Relic Series and Umbel Series exhibited in the gardens this year. Come check out the whole show June 1 – Oct 31 with a reception for the artists June 13th 5 – 7pm.

    big big big news!

    Over the past few months, you may have picked up on little blips about me working on a pitch for a public art project in Gainesville Florida. In November, I was selected as one of two finalists for the second stage of this call for art. I did a site visit in January, meeting with staff, students, and the architects who designed the new space which was based on the theme of biophilia (the human and nature connection). And since then I’ve been quietly getting my paperwork together, organizing my slides, tweaking my budget and drastically improving my photoshop skills to get ready for this meeting. Last Friday was the day to deliver and… I’m so thrilled to announce that I got the contract! 

    The image above is a photoshopped mock-up of the Bone Series wall web installations in the stairwell of the Career Connections Center on the University of Florida Gainesville Campus. I’ll be using all four walls of the stairwell space to create these installations flowing through the space. I’m so excited to get started on this project and I can’t wait to see it up. Although, it will be many more months of building and designing the exact layout of all the pieces before it ships out and goes up, but I’ll be sure to share my work in progress. 

    Thanks to everyone who crossed their fingers and sent me positive vibes! It worked!

    the death of a blog…

    I’ve come to realize that I’ve been creating posts here on ‘the dirt’ less and less lately, even missing whole weeks altogether. This is usually the tell-tale signs that the death of a blog is inevitable. BUT, I’m here to share or rather admit that I feel like I haven’t had all that much to share lately and that it is NOT the death of a blog but rather a respect for your time to only bring you posts when I really have something to share.

    So what have I been doing you ask?

    where art & nature meet exhibit | installations | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture

    Well, to be honest, the death of my dog Indigo early in the year really drained me of a creative flow and it’s been hard to start new ideas with enthusiasm, but I’m getting there. And so instead of spending tons of time in the studio creating, I’ve been spending time in nature refueling my creativity. I’ve also been working on the not so glamorous side of being an artist; applying for grants, pitching project ideas & prepping for upcoming events – mostly online computer work. Fingers crossed that something creative comes from all this screen time!

    I have also been preparing for this fall when I leave for a three month residency in Taiwan, it will be a long time away from my home base and I’m trying to mentally and physically prepare myself and the studio for that length of absence. In the next few months, I have some private art events happening, and the annual Sculpture IS: exhibit will be here before you know it. In the meantime, you can always pick up work in the online shop – especially check out the new Trinket Necklaces!

    So, this is not the death of a blog… I’ll be in touch. Promise.