Author: Jenni Ward

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the outside scoop: 6

This week, outside the studio…

We were able to get one more segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail done last weekend. It was about 12 miles but we got lucky with the weather and had some cloud cover to help keep us cool. With 8 hikes down, we still have 68 more segments to go to complete the whole circuit.
My second crochet project was pajamas for Bowie, I know he doesn’t look too thrilled but he really doesn’t mind being cozy at night even if they are a little big on him. Next set I make will fit better… always learning!

The Outside Scoop is a weekly blog series that shares a little bit of what’s going on in my life outside of the studio. Please feel free to leave comments, I look forward to chatting with you here!

the outside scoop: 5

This week, outside the studio…

While I’ve spent most of my time in the studio these days, I did manage to get into the ocean a few times.
Some days I go straight from pajamas to my wetsuit and feel pretty lucky to start my day that way.
This photo was taken a few weeks ago but it’s a pretty typical scene for me and my swim buddy Mike heading into the water for a late afternoon swim enjoying the warmer summer waters off Seabright Beach. Thanks for the photo Karen!

The Outside Scoop is a weekly blog series that shares a little bit of what’s going on in my life outside of the studio. Please feel free to leave comments, I look forward to chatting with you here!

Video: Time Lapse of Plankton Bloom Installation

Beginning with a projected image on the wall, gives a starting place for the installation to launch from. The layout is based on satellite imagery of a plankton bloom happening in the Southern Ocean, near McMurdo Sound in Antartica. Ceramic pieces inspired by the skeletal structures of plankton were added to the wall giving it shape and dimension. Once the main form was installed the rest was done intuitively, adding one piece at a time and then stepping back to see it’s impact on the overall form. This piece is 30′ long by 8′ high and was installed over several days.

Come see it in person at Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery on the UCSC campus

Sept 20 – Dec 3, opening reception Sept 24 from 5-8

diving in…

A few sneak peeks at what I’ve been installing at the Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery for my upcoming show Bodies of Water. The show is inspired by the unseen world of plankton, it’s beauty and it’s role in sustaining the planet.

The plankton bloom site specific installation, comprised of hundreds of porcelain pieces.

We are bodies of water, we are connected to and dependent on the ocean from the very beginning of life on planet earth to our current day. Within all oceans are planktons, tiny marine drifters that make up the majority of all marine life in the ocean and are vital to sustain life on our planet. This exhibit aims to highlight the beauty of the unseen world of plankton, share the ecological importance of them and how we are connected.

Framed planktons leaving amazing shadows on the wall, urchin and medusa inspired pieces captured under bell jars &
gallery assistant Sarah giving the show a thumbs up

The exhibit is on display Sept 20th – Dec 3rd 2022, with an opening reception Saturday September 24th from 5-8.

The gallery is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 12pm-5pm and Thursdays 12pm-7pm

the outside scoop: 4

This week, outside the studio…

Cactus flowers blooming just outside my studio
It was our 19th anniversary this week, and Nate brought me this amazing bouquet of flowers. All the spikey weird flowers bc they’re super cool, red ones bc it’s my favorite color and yellow roses for friendship – feeling the love.
Finished my first crochet project, a pair of fingerless mittens to replace my shredded old pair. Feeling a little proud of myself for this one!
A little relaxing time at Pinecrest Lake and Bowie’s second time in the kayak – he did fall in this time though!

The Outside Scoop is a weekly blog series that shares a little bit of what’s going on in my life outside of the studio. Please feel free to leave comments, I look forward to chatting with you here!

Bodies of Water Exhibition

We are bodies of water, we are connected to and dependent on the ocean from the very beginning of life on planet earth to our current day. With all the creatures that inhabit the oceans, we are easily awestruck by the sighting of a whale sliding across the surface to breathe before sinking to mysterious depths with one tail flip. It is equally easy to forget what it takes to sustain such large creatures and what they in turn give back to their own ecosystems to maintain a cycle in balance. Planktons are defined as marine drifters and while extremely tiny compared to whales, they make up 90% of the mass of all marine life in the ocean. They are vital to sustain all life on our planet, they signal changes in our climate, and yet these microscopic creatures are often overlooked and rarely strike us with awe. This exhibit aims to highlight the unseen world of plankton, share the ecological importance of them and how we are all connected. 

Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery | University of California Santa Cruz

September 20 – December 3, 2022

Gallery Hours: 12 – 5 Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat & 1:30 – 7 Thurs

A parking pass can be acquired from the kiosk at the Bay St. campus entrance click here for a map

To purchase work from this exhibit: SHOP HERE

sneak peek at Bodies of Water installation

One of the bigger parts of this upcoming exhibition is a site specific installation that is based on a NASA satellite image of a plankton bloom in Antarctica near McMurdo Sound. Even though the plankton are microscopic, there are so many of them in a large bloom, they can be seen from space, the color of the bloom all depends of the type of plankton.

plankton bloom in McMurdo Sound Antarctica as seen from space

The general form of the bloom laid out in circles was projected on the wall as a template to place all of the ceramic pieces. Some of the ceramic pieces are flat, some are raised off the wall and some are three dimensional forms, so there’s a lot of variation in the depth of the work. You can scroll through the photos below to see the progress I made.

template projected onto the wall
starting to place the pieces
making progress

As with all installations, things change and move based on how it’s working in the space, so I see some alterations ahead of me with this project but I’m sure it’s going to be beautiful once it’s done and all lit up. Stay tuned…

Bodies of Water | September 20 – December 3, 2022 | Opening Reception September 24th 5-8pm

things are happening but it’s not done yet!