Joan Grounds facts for kids

Joan Grounds is an amazing artist who was born in America on August 31, 1939. She has shown her art all over the world, including Australia, since 1967. Joan is known for creating many different types of art, like ceramics (which are art made from clay), sculptures, sound art, films, and even performance art. Her artworks can be found in important places like the National Gallery of Australia, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.

Early Life and Learning

Joan Grounds was born in Atlanta, USA, in 1939. She went to college and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Tulane University in 1962. Later, she earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1964.

After college, Joan met and married another artist named Marr Grounds. They lived in Ghana for two years while Marr taught architecture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Joan showed her art in Ghana and the United States before moving to Australia in 1968.

Joan Grounds' Art Career

Joan Grounds created her first big art project, a fire sculpture, on a beach in Ghana in 1968. She later made similar fire sculptures on quiet beaches in New South Wales, Australia. Joan loved to use nature in her art. She created special art installations that fit into their outdoor locations, like her "Four Quartets" project in 1987-1988.

From 1976 to 1979, Joan was the director of the Tin Sheds at Sydney University. She helped start this art workshop with her husband and Donald Brook. Joan made the Tin Sheds a lively place where many artists, students, and people from the community could come together to create art and share ideas.

She also taught art at the East Sydney Technical College (which is now called the National Art School) and later at the College of Fine Arts, UNSW.

Working with Other Artists

Joan Grounds often worked with other artists on her projects. She teamed up with Aleks Danko for several performance and film projects. She also worked for ten years with Sherre Delys, creating sound sculptures and art for public spaces. Other artists she collaborated with include N.S. Harsha, Rik Rue, Margaret Dodd, Stevie Wishhart, and Jane Finlay.

What Her Art Is About

Joan Grounds' art often explores big ideas. It connects with nature, the role of women, and memories. Art expert Julie Ewington said in 2001 that Joan's work "engages with nature, with the placement of women, with the body of women, with memory and with ways of exploring all of these." Another art critic, George Alexander, described her art installations in 1989 as being "as formal and elusive as music."

Awards and Recognition

Joan Grounds has received several important awards and residencies, which are special opportunities for artists to live and work in a new place.

• 2002: ASIALINK Residency in Chiang Mai, Thailand
• 1996: ASIALINK Visual Arts and Crafts residency exchange between India and Australia
• 1995: Australia Council residency in Tokyo, Japan
• 1981: Australia Council residency in Greene Street, New York

Selected Art Shows

Joan Grounds has shown her art in many exhibitions around the world.

Solo Exhibitions

These are shows where only Joan's art was displayed:

• 1985: 'Four Quartets' at The Performance Space, Sydney
• 1995: Solo show at Annandale Galleries, Sydney
• 1997: (with N.S. Harsha) at the Art Gallery of NSW

Other Exhibitions

Joan's art has also been part of larger group shows:

• Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art 2002 (APT4) in Brisbane, Australia

Art in Collections

Joan Grounds' art is part of the permanent collections of several major art galleries and museums. This means her work is kept there for people to see for many years.

• National Gallery of Australia: They have 10 of her works, including Red-green duration: from the portfolio "Rare birds with sticky wings".
• National Gallery of Victoria: They have 4 of her works, including We should call it a living room and Package.
• Powerhouse Museum, Sydney: They have several of her works, including Ceramic parcel.