Art Archives - Page 8 of 51

Video: Time Lapse of Plankton Bloom Installation

September 8, 2022 September 8, 2022

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…

August 31, 2022

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

sneak peek at Bodies of Water installation

August 22, 2022 August 22, 2022

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.

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!

Trinket Necklaces in the Shop

August 17, 2022 August 9, 2022

Collaborative Trinket Necklaces | shop | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture

Wearable Sculptures Available in the Shop!

Jamie Abbott and I collaborated to create a series of fun Trinket Necklaces. Each piece is a unique composition of both handmade porcelain clay shapes and forged metal forms, all hung on ball chain or black leather cord. They are the perfect combination of industrial and earthy unique wearables and they make great gifts!

SHOP NOW

making progress…

August 11, 2022 August 17, 2022

If feel as though I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole the past week, busily making what feels like a million parts for my upcoming exhibit, Bodies of Water this September at the Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery at UCSC. Working with gallery director Tauna Coulson, we’ve been choosing paint colors to turn the gallery into an ocean, creating templates for a nearly 2000 part site specific installation, selecting work, organizing pedestals, designing the layout and of course making parts.

I hit a point where it seemed daunting, but now I’m rounding the corner and can visualize it all coming together and I’m getting really excited about it. I also l.o.v.e. the color blue we chose for the gallery walls, can’t wait for you to see it!

Making all the art is one part of the job but installing them is a whole other task. I’ve started getting things boxed up to bring them up to the gallery in the coming weeks and start the process. Luckily I’ve got a long lead time since the gallery is technically closed for summer, so I can use that to my advantage and not have to rush installation. Phew! Hope to see you all at the opening September 24th 5-8pm where all these parts will magically transform into a plankton filled ocean gallery!

Bodies of Water | Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery UCSC | Sept 20th – Dec 3rd | Opening reception Sept 24th 5-8pm

video: evolution of an installation

August 4, 2022 August 4, 2022

If you come by my studio this year for Open Studios, you’ll get to see this piece in person, but I thought it’d be fun to share a bit of the process making it. I actually wish I took more photos in process, but hopefully this very quick video gives an idea of it’s evolution.

The composition is mimicking the rings of a droplet into water and it’s composed of around 700+ porcelain pieces that are inspired by the bone structure of radiolarians (single cell planktons). Some of the pieces are mounted directly on the wall and some are attached to metal stems so that they can float off the wall, creating depth and casting shadows. If you watch the video closely or repeatedly you’ll notice that some pieces were removed and more space was given between the ripples, sometimes these are things that you can’t predict before you’re actually installing the work. I still need to clean the chalk lines off the wall but the more I live with this piece the more I love it. Hope you all get to come see it in person!

Have you been to see Sculpture IS: 2022??

July 12, 2022 July 12, 2022

Grab some friends and your picnic basket!

Sculpture IS: 2022 at Sierra Azul Sculpture Garden & Nursery is open daily 10-5 and the sculptures are up until Oct 31st! There are tables and umbrellas available for use to enjoy an afternoon in garden.

I have 4 fennel inspired sculptures onsite and for sale! They are just waiting to be transplanted into your garden space. There are also over 100 sculptures in a variety of mediums waiting to be discovered in the 2 acre demonstration garden!

2660 East Lake Ave Watsonville CA 95076 | pvarts.org

Updates from the studio

June 30, 2022 June 30, 2022

Remember all those parts I’ve been making? Well, they’ve started to find their way onto the studio walls…

This installation is far from finished but a few hundred pieces are up on the wall. It’s been fun to play with how far off the wall the parts are and the subsequent shadows become a part of the piece. The overall form is inspired by a water droplet and the outward waves of ripples.

I’ve also got my own jellyfish aquarium going here with a whole new batch of Medusas swimming through the studio. These guys are so fun to hang out with in the studio all day!

New Press for Spore Patterns!

June 29, 2022 June 29, 2022

lichen series | spore patterns | public art | Jenni Ward ceramic sculpture

Excited to share that my piece Lichen Series: Spore Patterns was one of the sculptures featured in an article about the Price Sculpture Forest in Luxe Beat Magazine! Check out the full article here and if you’re ever on Whidbey Island, be sure to check the sculpture forest out in person!