the dirt

RSS feed

    Outside Scoop: 24

    This week, outside the studio…

    finally got my waterproof camera in the water with me, the water is warming up and we’re getting some lovely evening swims in
    had a really nice escape weekend up to Bodega Bay, with lots of good food, doggie playtime, walks and fun family

    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!

    hello? can you hear me?

    Apparently my blog feed has gotten stuck here on my website for the past month for unknown reasons and you have not been receiving your weekly The Dirt emails from me. Grrr…

    I ~think~ I’ve fixed the issue and if the stars align, you should receive your regularly scheduled email on Friday morning. It should give you links to all the posts that got stuck or you might just get this post or possibly once again nothing at all will hit your inbox. sigh…

    Thanks for your patience and fingers crossed we’ll be up and running again soon. You can always check out what I’m up to by navigating to The Dirt here. Including a scene from the studio here so you get a preview of what’s been going on!

    umbel updates!

    Things are cranking along in the studio with A Feast of Flowers project!

    There are over a hundred ceramic flower heads in my studio right now, on practically every surface. They are in varying stages of finishedness; from raw drying clay, to bisque fired pieces, to glazed pieces that haven’t been fired yet and finally to the first batch of finished flowers. I’m really loving how bright and colorful these came out and I can’t wait to see them up and silhouetted against the sky!

    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

    outside scoop: 23

    This week, outside the studio…

    outside scoop: 23 | the dirt | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture
    outside scoop: 23 | the dirt | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture
    outside scoop: 23 | the dirt | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture
    treated to a sudden and swift thunderstorm at our favorite camp spot which left us with some epic cloud days, bowie could care less about the clouds and spends pretty much the entire time in the water chasing rocks and picking rocks up off the bottom of the river
    outside scoop: 23 | the dirt | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture
    the davenport bluffs at sunset never get old
    outside scoop: 23 | the dirt | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture
    outside scoop: 23 | the dirt | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture
    these photos are from last summer, I haven’t dug out my waterproof camera yet, but I have been back in the ocean swimming,
    despite the foggy, drizzly days we’ve been having …. so looking forward to the glassy blues of summer soon.
    swim buddy Mike, braving the cold water sans wetsuit, don’t know how he does it!

    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!

    Awesome Foundation June Winner

    Awesome Foundation June Winner | the dirt | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture

    The Santa Cruz Chapter of the Awesome Foundation picked its third winner! We love reviewing these amazing, creative ideas – keep them coming Santa Cruz! $1000 micro-grants are given out monthly.

    Congrats to Stephanie Suarez for their community project, Bipoc Arts Healing Circles! Click here to learn more about this project.

    Got an Awesome idea that needs a little funding? Pitch it here!

    Sculpture IS: 2023 Opens!

    Sculpture IS: In the Garden 2023, marks our seventeenth sculpture exhibit in partnership with Sierra Azul Nursery and Gardens in Watsonville, CA. Curators Susana Arias, Hedwig Heerschop, and Jeff Rosendale selected over ninety sculptures created by forty-nine artists and collaborators. Visit the stunning two-acre demonstration garden, relax under the umbrellas, and spend an afternoon enjoying the exhibit.

    June 1, 2023 – October 31, 2023 | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm | Sierra Azul Nursery & Gardens | Watsonville CA