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    Summer Workshop Session 2

    Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture | the dirt | summer workshop session 2We’re in full swing of week two of our summer sculpting workshops at the studio. We started off the week with clay succulent containers that have texture and pattern decorating the outside. We also made balance bowls, students were challenged to create a bowl that did not touch the table with a flat bottom, this has yielded some interesting results! Next up, we’ll be casting our arms in tape to create figurative sculptures with a focus on form, working with wire to create creeping spiders and painting our clay projects. Its going to be a busy week at the studio!

    A few spots are still available if you’d like to join in on the fun: Sign Up for Summer Workshops Today!

    Series Showcase: Small Nests

    jenni ward ceramic sculpture | nest series
    Small sculptures can make a big impact on a space. These little nest pieces are hand held in size, they feel good to pick up and hold, like a found shell or stone. They are inspired by forms in nature, each piece hopes to find the place where art and nature meet. The nests are all handmade and have a small ceramic form fused on the inside that is protected by its outer ceramic shell. A variety of these unique small nests are available in the shop.

     

     

     

    Garden Party at Sierra Azul

    Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture | the dirt | Garden Party at Sierra AzulGot some press today in the Santa Cruz Sentinel for my Bone Series at Sierra Azul’s Sculpture IS: 2015 exhibit! Such an amazing line up of artists in this exhibit, I’m so proud to be showing my work alongside them. The show is up until October, make sure that you get out there to see it!

    ArtPrize 2015 Acceptance

    Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture | hive series | in the field installationSo excited to announce that my Hive Series Installation was accepted at the 7th annual ArtPrize event in Grand Rapids, Michigan and my work will be shown at the Calvin College‘s (106) Gallery in downtown Grand Rapids!

    This year ArtPrize runs from September 23 – October 11 and offers artists the opportunity to win more than $500,000 in awarded prizes. Half is decided by public vote and half decided by a jury of art experts. You might of seen the 2014 grand prize winner going viral on social media: Anila Quayyum Agha’s Intersections.

    So if you’re in the Grand Rapids area, get out and rock the vote!

     

    Repost Reminder: Sculpture IS: 2015 Opens Today!

    Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture | the dirt | Sculpture IS: 2015I’m so excited to once again be participating in the Sculpture IS exhibit at Sierra Azul Gardens this summer. It’s one of my favorite local exhibits and it incorporates art and nature beautifully. This year I’ll be doing a site specific installation of my Bone Series. If you were able to make it to the Spring Studio Sale a few weeks ago, you saw a mock up if the installation in the studio, I’m hoping that the garden and sky space will only enhance what is already so exciting about this installation. Hope to see you at the reception!

     

     

    Sierra Azul Gardens
    2660 East Lake Ave Watsonville CA
    Exhibition dates June 1 – Oct 31
    Artists reception June 11, 5 – 7 pm

    For more information contact: Pajaro Valley Arts Council Gallery

    The Haitians Invade Santa Cruz

    Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture | the dirt | the haitians invade santa cruz Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture | the dirt | the haitians invade santa cruz Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture | the dirt | the haitians invade santa cruz

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Four of my favorite Haitians were in town this past week, it had been a year since we’d been together and it was so great to see them all! We checked out local arts, cruised the cliffs and made Haitian spaghetti (think hot dogs, ketchup, habanero and pickled herring in spaghetti and generally it’s eaten for breakfast in Haiti!). Thank you to Kathy Barbro for making so much of this possible! And yes, those are creepy baby-doll Voudou sculptures and painted Barbies on the table.  Mwen Renmen Ayiti!

    To learn more about my projects in Haiti or the artists of Atis Rezistans, click the links

    Summer Workshops have begun!

    Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture | the dirt | summer workshops have begunSummer Sculpting Workshops launched this Monday at the studio with fun clay projects and new techniques. Students ages 7 and up made pinch pot pools for their coil built flamingos and we used an ink transfer technique to get cute animal images onto our slab built boxes. While our clay projects dry and get ready for the kiln, we’ll be busy working with paper mache, wire, weaving projects and more!

    A few spaces are still available for young creative artists…
    Join Summer Sculpting Workshops for Kids

    B CR8IV!!!

     

    Sculpture IS: 2015 Opening Reception

    Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture | the dirt | Sculpture IS: 2015 Opening receptionHope to see you Thursday June 11 from 5 – 7 pm for the opening of Sculpture IS: 2015 at Sierra Azul Gardens in Watsonville. My site specific installation of the Bone Series is up alongside a number of other beautiful sculptures nestled into the gardens.

     

    Sierra Azul Gardens
    2660 East Lake Ave Watsonville CA
    Exhibition dates June 1 – Oct 31
    Artists reception June 11, 5 – 7 pm

    For more information contact: Pajaro Valley Arts Council Gallery

     

     

    Another place where art & nature meet

    Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture | the dirt | another place where art & nature meetMany, many years ago, after seeing a profile in Sunset magazine, I contacted Sara & Ric of Wildwood Nursery in Sonoma to exhibit work in their sculpture garden. At the time I was creating stacked totem pieces, flower and bug inspired forms, they agreed to exhibit my work for a number of shows. It was a wonderful place to show my work and to meet with creative people. My work has evolved a lot since then and I haven’t shown work there in a long time but Sara has made sure to keep in touch. Wildwood Nursery is a beautiful sanctuary with rare plants in a five acre park-like setting nestled in the Valley of the Moon. They have over 150 different Japanese maples, 50 varieties of dogwoods, ginkgo bilobas and companion plants. You can order plants and trees in their online shop if you are not in the area but if you are in the area, I encourage you to visit and find the place where art & nature meet.

    Wildwood Nursery | 10300 Sonoma Highway | Kenwood California  | 707.833.1161

     

    Nina Graduates!

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    If you have been to the studio or your kids have taken a class here, you probably have run into Nina. She’s helped me in the studio and with classes since she was about 12 and she took classes with me before that. In the past few years, she’s also started to photograph most of my work (almost every shot on my website is hers!). Not only is she talented, mature and capable but she is also just about the kindest soul I’ve ever encountered. She graduates from Aptos High School this week and will be pursuing a focus in the arts at Cabrillo College next fall. I’m so proud of her and can’t wait to see the mark she makes on the world!

    Congrats Nina!