Description of Work

Jenni Ward is a sculptor, art instructor and owner of Earth Art Studio. She has been an artist for as long as she can remember; memories of cutting, bending and building as a child have matured into a career of creating. Passionate about working with clay to build abstract forms and installations that reflect the beauty of the natural world, her favorite days are ones where she is splattered with clay and working in the studio all day long. Outside the studio, she can often be found exploring the forests, mountains or tide pools near her California studio for inspiration, usually with a collection of bones, rocks and wood in her pockets. Her exploration of the natural world both above and below sea level are referenced throughout her work. She is a wanderer who ventures off to foreign lands where she finds inspiration in the people, the land and the art she encounters. A natural teacher and philanthropist, she shares her creativity with students at her home studio and abroad. 

Artist’s Statement

My work focuses on how organic forms interact and engage with the space they encompass. I create abstract arrangements with references to the biological world of seeds, pollens, bones, shells and entomology that explore the tensions of opposing forces. The results evoke contrary feelings of unshackled captivity, organized randomness and the density of negative space; these pieces strive to achieve a sense of beauty in their asymmetrical balance. At times I work in multiples; the forms are often configured in simple geometric compositions to counter their organic nature. Using clay as my primary medium, I develop these pieces with commonalities of shape, color, texture and movement that often result in a series of work.

Related Links

• Local Artists, Art
• People of Santa Cruz