Scientists believe between 500,000 and 5,000,000 species have yet to be discovered in our Earth’s oceans. Human impact risks our chance for discovery and the health of our environment. The paradoxical logic of society in its approach to this resource and the plight of the earth’s oceans as a result compels my visual language.

My sculpture represents a convergence between existing and imagined realities inspired by the potential of the undiscovered life in our oceans. Through the use of iconographies drawn from the natural world found in our coastal environments, architectural landscape, and the cultural diversity the city of SeattIe has to offer, I create objects that suggest an esoteric existence. The objects become their own biological entities with their own spirituality and provoke the experience of an independent, symbolic world.

Virginia received a B.F.A. in Ceramics from East Tennessee State University and an M.F.A from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. She has undertaken Artist Residencies at The Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada, The Mendocino Art Center in California, and The Sages housed by the Inn at Sunrise Springs in Santa Fe, New Mexico, The Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Pottery Northwest in Seattle, Washington. Curently she maintains a studio at INScape Arts and Cultural Center in the International District of Seattle. Virginia has taught Visual Organization II (3-D Design) and Introduction to Studio Ceramics, for which she developed her own curriculum, both at the university level. She has also produced projects commissioned by Monsanto Corporation and the William Kerr Foundation while acting as lead artist and mentor to inner city youth apprentices. This fall, Virginia will work at the Seattle Aquarium as a Creative Content Mentor with their Creativity Inspiring Conservation Program.

Virginia has been published in one of the ceramic field’s top magazines, Ceramics Monthly. Her work has been exhibited nationally in both juried and invitational settings. She has also been the recipient of many awards including a grant from Artist Trust.

Virginia W. Jenkins

E-mail: vwjenkins@yahoo.com

Education:

2011

Masters of Fine Art, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, Edwardsville, Illinois

05/2003

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics East Tennessee State University (ETSU), Johnson City, TN

Exhibitions:

2014

"PostGlamism: Glam Art in the 21st Century"; juried by Mike Sweney, COCA Seattle, WA

"Journey of Discovery", Shoreline City Hall Gallery, Shoreline,WA

"Emerged: After the Residency", Lillstreet Gallery, Chicago, IL.

"Drift", Pottery Northwest (Solo Exit Show), Seattle, WA

"Its Always Now, Leary Gallery", Seattle.WA

2013

"Entropic Quandary," Hanson Gallery, Houston, TX (Concurrent Independent

Exhibition with NCECA)

The Dairy Center for the Arts, Boulder, CO. (October 25th-December 1)

"Northwest Ceramics Invitational," Kolva Sullivan Gallery and Trackside Gallery, Spokane, WA

2012

ARTWALK, Gainsbourg, Seattle WA. (Scheduled October)

S.W.A.N Show, invited artist, Carbondale Clay Center, Carbondale, CO

New Talent, Gallery Fifty-Six, Memphis TN

Clay Lives Here!, Seattle Design Center, Seattle Washington.

Sea Tac Airport, Seattle, Washington

2011

SoFlo Ceramics, invited artist, The Armory Art Center, West Palm Beach, FL.

Artist in Residence Exhibition, The Armory Art Center, West Palm Beach, FL.

2010

“Vasefinder,” 5th annual digital exhibition, invited artist, Arvada,Colorado.

“Central Time Ceramics,” Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois.

“Contemporary Clay Biennial 2010,” Western Colorado Center for the

Arts, Grand Junction, Colorado.

“Ceramic Sculpture,” Mill Gallery, The Guilford Art Center, Guilford,CT.

“New*Art Exhibition,” Armory Art Center, West Palm Beach, FL.

“Faculty Exhibition,” Armory Art Center, West Palm Beach, Fl.

2009

“Symbiotic Enigma,” MFA Thesis Exhibition, The Edwardsville Art

Center, Edwardsville, Illinois

“Two By Two: Small Scale Sculpture Biennial,” Eastern Washington

University Gallery of Art, Cheney, WA

“Student Graduate Show,” SIUE, Edwardsville, Illinois

“Student Success Show,” MUC, Edwardsville, Illinois

Professional Experience:

2013

-Master Artist Workshop, Moshier Community Art Center, Burien, WA

2012

-Artist in Residence, Pottery Northwest, Seattle, Washington.

2011

-Artist in Residence, The Armory Art Center, West Palm Beach, FL.

(September 2010-April 2011)

-Studio Assistant for Steven Hill, The Armory Art Center, West Palm

Beach, FL.

-Studio Assistant for Brenda McMahon, The Armory Art Center, West Palm

Beach, FL.

-Studio Assistant, Shari Dixon Inc., Memphis, Tennessee

Jewelry production studio. (September-January.)

2010

-Lecture, Palm Beach State Community College, Palm Beach Gardens, FL

2009

-Assistant to Chair and Information Supervisor, Southern Illinois

University at Edwardsville

-St. Louis Artworks, Lead Artist, Instructor, Mentor, accepted RFP

proposal to develop curriculum for sculpture discipline and produce

commissioned project for Monsanto and Forest Park Forever with inner

city school apprentices.

(June-July)

Teaching Experience:

2013

Instructor, Hand Building, Adult Class, Pottery Northwest, Seattle, WA (Jan.-December)

Instructor, Wheel-Throwing, Adult Class, Pottery Northwest, Seattle, WA (April-August)

Instructor, Workshop for Avenade, Team-Building, Pottery Northwest, Seattle WA

2012

-Instructor, Wheel-Throwing, Adult Class. Pottery Northwest, Seattle,

Washington (April-June).

-Instructor, Wheel-Throwing, Adult Class. Pottery Northwest,

Seattle, WA (July-August).

-Instructor, Workshop for Microsoft Corporation, Pottery Northwest,

Seattle, WA.

2011

-Faculty of Armory Art Center, Beginning Throwing, Adult Class.

The Armory Art Center, West Palm Beach, FL (January-April).

-Faculty of Armory Art Center, Youth Handbuilding. The Armory Art

Center, West Palm Beach, FL (January-April).

-Faculty of Armory Art Center, Teen Wheel-Throwing. The Armory

Art Center, West Palm Beach, FL (January-April).

-Faculty of Summer Art Camp, third through fifth grade clay.

(June-August) West Palm Beach, FL.

2010

-Faculty of Armory Art Center, Beginning Throwing, Adult Class.

The Armory Art Center, West Palm Beach, FL September-December).

-Faculty of Armory Art Center, Youth Hand building. The Armory Art

Center, West Palm Beach, FL (September-December).

-Faculty of Armory Art Center, Youth Wheel-Throwing. The Armory

Art Center, West Palm Beach, FL (September-December).

-Faculty of Armory Art Center, Youth Winter Camp. The Armory Art

Center, West Palm Beach, FL. (December 20-23, 2010).

2008

-Instructor of Record, Art 202c: Intro to Studio Ceramics, fall semester

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (developed curriculum)

-Instructor of Record, Art 202c: Intro to Studio Ceramics, July session

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (developed curriculum)

-Instructor of Record, Art 112d, Visual Organization II, spring semester,

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (3D Design)

2007 Instructor of Record, Art 112d, Visual Organization II, fall semester,

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (3-D Design)

Publications:

2014

“Exposure,” Ceramics Monthly, March 2014

2010

-Birke, Judy. “Guilford Art Center Ceramics Show…” New Haven

Register. 11 July 2010

-Hoffman, Hank. “Clay Another Way.” Connecticut Art Scene.

12 July 2010

http://ctartscene.blogspot.com/2010/07/clay-another-way.html

Awards:

2013

-Grants for Artist's Project Award, Artist Trust, Seattle, WA

2009

-Martha Holden Ceramic Award, “Student Graduate Show,” Edwardsville, IL.

-Purchase Award, “Student Success Show,” Edwardsville, Illinois

-Graduate Assistantships, fall and spring, Southern Illinois University at

Edwardsville

-Friends of Art Award, Friends of Art Auction, Lewis and Clark College

2008

-Graduate Assistantships, fall and spring, Southern Illinois University at

Edwardsville

-Honorable Mention, Friends of Art Auction, Edwardsville, Illinois.

-Purchase Award, “Student Art Competition,” Edwardsville, Illinois

Permanent Collections:

Student Success Center at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Illinois

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, Edwardsville, Illinois

Dr. and Mrs. Robert Burger Collection

Jim Kolva, Kolva-Sullivan and Trackside Gallery, Spokane, WA