Just a quick behind the scenes video showing just how strong these very thin pieces of porcelain actually are. When I put them in the kiln, I just pile them up, but because of the vitreousness of the clay, they stick together just a little, kinda like porcelain nachos. Then they need to be popped apart so I can use these pieces in other projects. Enjoy!
Tag: Art
Work in Progress: Porcelain in Resin
These pieces have literally been years in the making, but I think I’m finally rounding a corner with them and wanted to share my progress. I had some success with my initial resin pours but still had a few things to tweak. You’ll notice that there’s a lot of micro bubbles in the resin, I found out that’s due to it curing too cold and possibly some air escaping from the pores of the ceramic parts. The edges of the molds aren’t as even as I’d hoped since the silicone molds had squished a bit in shipping, so I need to come up with a better frame solution. I also knew that my first experiments with led lights were really exciting and I needed to pursue that further even if it meant putting on my novice electricians hat. Some steps forward and some steps sideways, more problems to solve, and way more parts to make.
I decided to create stainless steel frames and pour directly into them so that I didn’t need to pop them out of a mold later. I wanted these frames to be versatile for both wall hanging and as suspended pieces, so I added a fender washer as the hanger to create a modern, industrial look. A metal fabricator neighbor welded them together for me and then I started working on the lighting components.
I’ve learned way more than I ever wanted to about led lighting, but in the end, I found that getting some waterproof strip lighting, a few connectors and being creative, I could get the frames lit on the insides and eventually embedded in the resin. I had small holes drilled in the sides of the frames for the wires to exit from which will ultimately connect to a power source, which for now is 9v battery to make sure that my connections actually work.
I’m ~almost~ ready to start pouring my (fingers crossed) first batch of keepers. My next steps are to coat the ceramic parts in a thin layer of resin, to seal them from leaking any air bubbles. To waterproof the end connections of my led lights and adhere them in place to the inner edges of the frames. And then I need to set everything up in a warm, dust free area to start the pouring, layering and curing of the resin, one eighth of an inch at a time. Step by step… stay tuned!
exciting news!
I’m happy to (finally!) share with you all that I will be making a large scale site specific installation at the Price Sculpture Forest on Whidbey Island in Washington State this year. I’ve been going back and forth with the owners for awhile now, but we’ve settled on a concept and a location in the park that we both think will be perfect for a powerful piece. Installation is set for the summer but I’ll be sharing my progress on this project with you as I go.
Inspired by the fungus of the Pacific North West, I’ll be creating a 12′ wide circular installation that will comprise of hundreds of ceramic forms. The shapes are based on shelf fungus forms and will be arranged to create a radial pattern reminiscent of the gills and spore patterns of mushrooms. The pieces will be staked into the ground with steel rod so that they float off the ground cover giving them an ethereal quality. Here is a photoshopped mock-up of my plans:
Conceptually, mushrooms speak of the cycle of life and death, since mycelium begins breaking down the dead waste in nature and the fruits of the mycelium (the mushroom) are the new growth that comes from it. The spores that are dropped from the mushroom gills, spread the growth and the cycle continues. Mycelium are some of the largest living organisms on earth stretching underground over miles of terrain creating networks of communication throughout the soil. This network makes them a symbol of growth through connection and how we are all connected to each other and to the systems and structures of nature.
The Price Sculpture Forest is 16.3 acres of preserved land with two walking loops through the property and a series of nature inspired sculptures placed throughout the forest. Visitors can use an app for a self-guided tour that will share with them each of the artworks, the artists thoughts and process on each piece. The forest is open everyday and free to visit, although, donations are always welcome.
featured art: bone series medusas and urchins
The Bone Series is focused on the remains of a form. The pieces imply what is left after the flesh is gone or pieces that need to be reassembled to understand what once was. These sculptures take their forms from the skeletal structures of radiolarians and the movements of jellyfish. They are made with very thin pieces of nearly translucent porcelain and some with high temperature wire that give movement and breathe life into the skeletal structures.
Fun Facts that inspire my work:
About Jellyfish: Jellyfish have been a part of the marine ecosystem for over 500 million years and they have no plan to depart. They love warm waters and can handle low oxygen environments, which means that rising ocean temperatures and higher acidification levels the ocean is becoming a place where jellyfish thrive. Overfishing of jellyfish predators like tuna and swordfish adds to their population and this makes some scientistic think that jellyfish just might take over the world… or at least the ocean. Anybody want to go for a swim?
About Radiolarians: Radiolarians are not well understood but are thought to hold clues to the evolution of life on Earth, as well as be an insight into changing climate conditions. They absorb carbon from the atmosphere when alive and trap it as they sink to the deep sea floor when they die. They have existed for at least 550 million years and are found in all the world’s oceans at all depths but many populations are declining due to warming temperatures.
You can shop for some of these pieces in person at Radius Gallery in Santa Cruz and some are available in my online shop
Hearts for your Valentine!
ART HEARTS!
There are just a handful of Art Hearts left in the online shop, so if you need a last minute gift for your sweetie this Valentine’s Day, better grab one quick!
FREE PICK UP AT THE STUDIO
SHIPPING AVAILABLE IN THE US ONLY
art orphan…
When you work in a series, it’s always a little sad to have that one last piece that just hasn’t found it’s home yet. Such is the case with this last piece from the Lichen Series | Walnut Trees, it is an art orphan still looking for a happy home.
front 
back
I created three of these pieces using slabs of California Black Walnut that came from a fallen tree in downtown Santa Cruz. I had custom steel bases fabricated to hold the slabs and made hundreds of small ceramic forms to attach to the wood. The ceramic forms were inspired by a type of shelf fungus often found on decaying wood. The ceramic pieces follow the curves and flow of the woodgrain on both sides of the planks giving movement to the otherwise rooted pieces. They are large and stately but only take up about one square foot of space, they are modern and rustic to fit with any style home and honestly; these are some of my favorite pieces I have made and I can’t believe this one hasn’t found a home yet.
Two of them are homed in Los Gatos and this one is still available for purchase. If you’re interested please contact me at jw@jenniward.com.
ephemeral art in the arroyo
One of the most intriguing spots within our new property in Baja is a small section of arroyo that cuts through a corner of the property. Initially, we were a little reluctant to buy property where we’d have to deal with the occasional moments of insane amounts of water but I have to say that it’s become one of my favorite spots to explore. The plants are different, the sandy soil lends itself to wanting to sit in and enjoy the space and it’s amazing to imagine how and where the water might flow through the space. So I decided that this would be the first spot I’d create an ephemeral art piece. The beauty of this being my own property is that I’m able to leave it installed and see what actually happens to it, I may add to it or it may dissolve on it’s own… time will tell… enjoy…
If you want to see my 30 days of ephemeral art from earlier in the year, here’s the link: 30 Days of Ephemeral Art
mini-studio in el desierto
Since we’ve had a driveway and small camping area cleared on our property, the first thing I did was buy a table and set up my mini-studio under the shade of a Torote tree. It’s been a little bit of a challenge to deal with the intense sun and some wind but I’ve figured out a system that seems to be working. I’m continuing to work on my smaller Bone Series Medusa and Urchin forms while I’m here and will be able to fire them in a friends kiln before I make the journey north again. I’m hoping to have a large batch of these to show and get up in the online shop next year.
In the meantime, I’m definitely finding inspiration here in the desert and the beaches. I’ve been finding and collecting all sorts of bits of bone and wood that inspire but my latest prize possession is this pelican skull below. The center photo is a close up of the fibrous structure of the beak connecting to the skull, I love how fragile and also how strong it is. I also love how translucent the bone is, so reminiscent of working in thin pieces of porcelain.
success.
After quite a few trials and errors on my extra large Rock Candy pieces, I’m pleased to report that I ~finally~ had a kiln load of successes! Phew!
This stage of the creative process is always the most exciting; the challenge figuring it all out, the emotional rollercoaster of cracking the kiln lid to see if there is success, the frustration of figuring one part out while another part becomes the problem, it’s all the best. Now, I feel like I can go into production mode and start cranking out some big pieces, feeling confidant that when I open the kiln I’ll have what I’m expecting. This stage is also exciting because now I get to really start to play with color and I’m looking forward to getting these into a garden space soon!
Turquoise piece is 20″x 12″x 13″, Blue is 20″x 15″x 12″ and the green is 10″x7″x6″
little by little
piti piti, zwazo fè nich | little by little the bird builds its nest – Haitian Proverb
I learned this proverb when I was working in Haiti years ago and it definitely applies to my studio practice these days…
Since the ash has stopped falling from the skies here, I decided to start working with embedding my ceramic pieces in resin. It’s been an exciting but very slow process to get some actual results. I’m working with a new-to-me resin product that is non-toxic, which is great and it’s also easy to work with, and is supposed to be extremely resistant to yellowing with age. The only drawback is that I can only pour an 1/8th of an inch layer at a time and I need 5 hours between pours, so it is a very, very slow process to pour pieces that are over an inch thick, but even with that, I think that these results will be worth it.
My husband Nate built me (yet another!) contraption that I can use to modify for different size circles and so far it seems to be working great. Since this is still in the R&D stages and this resin product isn’t the cheapest, I decided to make only one piece to start. I poured a solid base layer to start, let it cure and then started layering in a few ceramic parts and have continued doing that for nine individual pours so far. I love how clear the product is and how these pieces really seem like they are floating in the resin. They also leave shadows when the light is strong, which adds to the sense of depth. So little by little I’m building these out but very excited to see how they finally finish up when I remove them from the mold!
