Jenny Ibsen

Jenny Ibsen (born 1996) is an artist, restaurant worker, and organizer based in Portland. Born in China and raised in Connecticut, she moved to Maine in 2014 to pursue her BA at Bowdoin College and recently exhibited her first show at the Ticonic Gallery in Waterville, Maine, in 2023. She has shown works in a number of group shows across Maine, including at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, New Systems Exhibitions, Lights Out, Fort Hall Gallery, and BUOY Gallery, as well as Wing On Wo & Co. in Manhattan. She has attended residencies at Watershed Ceramics, Monson Arts, Hewnoaks, and Directangle Press, and she most recently completed the EMERGE Fellowship at Running with Scissors in Portland. Presently, Jenny is a co-organizer for Tender Table, which celebrates BIPOC community through storytelling, art, and food.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am a printmaker, ceramicist, and organizer based in Portland, Maine. My hand-built terracotta pieces serve as colorful palettes to liven tablescapes, often featuring whimsical illustrations and playful forms. These ceramics explore the technical relationships between texture, form, and color, while conceptually, my work explores ideas of sustenance and care, labor, and play. My studio practice is community-centered, often facilitating experiences that encourage engagement amongst friends and strangers alike. In tandem with my ceramic work, I also host Fish Picnic, a series of free public outdoor meals that celebrate the Maine ocean and access to local food.