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    a feast of fennels is D.O.N.E.

    I can’t believe that I’m actually able to write the title to this blog post but it’s finally true. A Feast of Fennels has officially been installed on the newest section of the Coastal Rail Trail at the corner of California & Bay Streets on the westside of Santa Cruz. Here’s a few process pics of the installation…

    day 1 : 3 stems get installed
    day 1 : 3 stems get installed
    day 1 : 3 stems get installed
    day 2: all 6 stems are installed
    day 2: flower #1 gets transported
    day 2: flower #1 gets unloaded onsite
    day 2: first flower getting placed
    day 2: second flower getting placed
    day 2: third flower placed
    day 3: fifth flower being placed
    day 3: last flower leaving the studio
    day 3: final flower being placed

    Once landscaping is complete we’ll get some better shots of the installations but until then, enjoy this photo that was a long time coming.

    If you want to read about the whole journey of making these pieces, click here!

    About the project: A Feast of Flowers will be six ceramic and steel sculptures inspired by the umbel flower structure of fennel plants. Placed staggered along the sides of the trail and silhouetted against the sky, the installation will create a sense of whimsy and wonder for the thousands of patrons who use the trail as well as bring an awareness to our connection with nature.

    My inspiration for this particular installation comes from my exploration of the natural world, and my curiosity about identifying plants, especially the edible ones. As an amateur forager, every hike in the woods has become like a trip to the grocery store for me. Fennels are one of the most recognized edibles that grow in California, available for the taking, yet there is a tendency to not trust the wild plants. This disconnect we humans have with nature, the loss of knowledge about native plants and how that relates to the global issue of food insecurity are all concepts explored with this project.

    It is also my hope that whimsical oversized flowers will create a fun and dramatic impact for the area, will draw locals and tourists alike outside to connect with nature, learn about local plants and of course take a moment to stop and smell the flowers.

    This project is sponsored by:

    A Feast of Flowers | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture

    Fungi Nipple Collective Performance

    Pop-Up Event: Sticks + Stones | Palos + Piedras

    Please join us at Earth Art Studio for a special performance in the arroyo with participating artist Natalia Szalc and the Fungi Nipple Collective. With Marcela Magdaleno Deschamps {monologue performance}, Marsseia {soundscapes}, Aya Xerena {poetry} & Rubi Olvera {film}.

    Sunday April 27th | 4pm – sunset

    The studio and sculpture garden will be open during the event.

    About the project:

    What do mushrooms and women have in common? They both play a significant role in the creation of life on Earth: populating, nourishing, cultivating, and communicating. Similar to the mycelium network, women serve as facilitators of communication and builders of connections. They pass down valuable knowledge through generations and share supportive information that uplifts one another. The Fungi Nipple ceramic installation is a collaborative effort between myself and a group of women who create these pieces together to form a swarm of Fungi Nipples. The number of pieces reflects the vital role that women play in our world as creators of life and growth. A woman embodies Mother Nature herself, with a sacred connection to the earth and clay. By honoring and respecting the womb, we honor and respect the feminine – embracing the deep, mysterious realms of inner wisdom, feminine power, intuition, and living in harmony with the cycles of birth, growth, decay, death. and rebirth. This installation aims to recognize women as the creators of life and their profound connection to Mother Nature. What better way to establish this connection than through a simple acknowledgment? Acknowledgment can serve as a potent tool for building trust, shifting attitudes, and fostering collaboration. This installation is designed to spark conversations about the power and practice of acknowledgment, aligning ourselves with the essence of Mother Nature.

    remember that public art project??

    Nearly 5 years in the making from application to installation, this project is finally coming to a close!

    A Feast of Flowers, is going to be installed in the coming days at the entrance to the newest section of the Coastal Rail Trail at the intersection of Bay and California streets on the westside of Santa Cruz. These sculptures have been in my Santa Cruz studio awaiting transplanting for over a year and it’s finally going to happen. I’ll be posting photos as things develop but as of right now, the foundations are poured, the anchor bolts are going in soon and after testing the concrete for strength, we will start transporting the sculptures to the site to install. Keep your fingers crossed that everything goes as planned!

    If you want to read about the whole journey of making these pieces, click here!

    About the project: A Feast of Flowers will be six ceramic and steel sculptures inspired by the umbel flower structure of fennel plants. Placed staggered along the sides of the trail and silhouetted against the sky, the installation will create a sense of whimsy and wonder for the thousands of patrons who use the trail as well as bring an awareness to our connection with nature. 

    My inspiration for this particular installation comes from my exploration of the natural world, and my curiosity about identifying plants, especially the edible ones. As an amateur forager, every hike in the woods has become like a trip to the grocery store for me. Fennels are one of the most recognized edibles that grow in California, available for the taking, yet there is a tendency to not trust the wild plants. This disconnect we humans have with nature, the loss of knowledge about native plants and how that relates to the global issue of food insecurity are all concepts explored with this project. 

    It is also my hope that whimsical oversized flowers will create a fun and dramatic impact for the area, will draw locals and tourists alike outside to connect with nature, learn about local plants and of course take a moment to stop and smell the flowers. 

    This project is sponsored by:

    A Feast of Flowers | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture


    mil gracias!!

    Mil gracias to everyone who came out to celebrate the opening of Sticks + Stones | Palos + Piedras at Earth Art Studio last Saturday! Over 100 visitors walked through the desert exploring the sculptures and a special thank you to all of you who purchased art!

    ✨And to all the artists- you are truly amazing!! ✨

    Missed the event? We have a line up of pop-up events coming up over the next few weeks, or make an appointment to come and get a curator tour of the show!

    let there be light…and gates

    Thrilled that we finally got our ceramic sconce lights up on the patio wall of the studio and they look pretty cool. It’s fun to take a traditional style light form and apply my own hole patterns to it. Also note the amazing ceramic oar sculpture by Susana Arias that seems right at home on our studio patio. And the crowning achievement of the month is finishing up our studio gate!

    This project has been a long time coming and we’re excited that it’s going to be ready for the opening reception of our exhibit. Nate, my talented husband designed and fabricated all of the metal framework and hardware for the gate while I made and installed all of the ceramic parts. The shadows cast by the pieces and cables are such a cool element, that we gotta say, we’re pretty proud of this collaboration!

    trinket necklaces are back in stock

    Trinket Necklace on Display | shop | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture

    The online shop now has 9 trinket necklaces in stock! These wearable sculptures are a combination of forged steel parts by sculptor Jamie Abbott and porcelain elements by Jenni Ward, strung on either ball chain or leather cord. They jingle as you move and make a bold statement with any outfit.

    SHOP NOW

    install week is coming!

    The installation of Sticks + Stones | Palos y Piedras is coming up soon and a few works have started to find their way into the studio and sculpture garden. I’ve been cleaning up new sections of the sculpture trail and starting to rearrange the studio to make room for the work of 9 talented artists. I love that we will have sculpture in a variety of materials from plaster, to ceramic to bronze as well as paintings, installations and printmaking – it should be a very cool show. Details about the show here!

    Here’s a few teaser bits of what is to come…

    About the show:

    What is the desert? Just sticks and stones? Local artists showcase what inspires them about living in the desert through sculptures, paintings, installations and more. Join us and walk the desert along our sculpture trail to find where art & nature meet.

    Participating Artists:

    Christa Assad, Steve Jacobi, Abel Martinez, Uli Martinez, Rudy Mendoza, Paolo Melandri, Natalia Szalc, Jenni Ward + Kevin Wickham