Joan Grounds facts for kids

Joan Grounds (born 31 August 1939) is an artist from America. She has shown her artwork in Australia and around the world since 1967. Her art, both solo and with others, is kept in important places like the National Gallery of Australia and the National Gallery of Victoria. She creates many types of art, including ceramics (clay art), sculpture, sound art, films, and performance art.

Early Life and Education

Joan Grounds was born in Atlanta, United States, in 1939. She studied art at Tulane University, earning a Bachelor's degree in 1962. Later, she got her Master's degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1964.

After finishing her studies, she met and married Marr Grounds, who was also an artist. They lived in Ghana for two years. During this time, Marr taught architecture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

Joan showed her art in Ghana and the US before moving to Australia in 1968.

Her Art Career

Joan Grounds's first big art project was a fire sculpture. She created it on a beach in Ghana in 1968. She later made similar fire sculptures on empty beaches in New South Wales, Australia. Joan loved to work with nature. She continued to create art for specific outdoor places, 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 for many artists, students, and the community. It was a hub for creative and politically active people.

She also taught art at East Sydney Technical College (now called the National Art School). Later, she taught at the College of Fine Arts, UNSW.

Working with Others

Joan Grounds often worked with other artists. She collaborated with Aleks Danko on films and performances. For ten years, she worked with Sherre Delys, making sound sculptures and public art installations. Other artists she worked with include N.S. Harsha, Rik Rue, Margaret Dodd, Stevie Wishhart, and Jane Finlay.

Art Themes

Joan Grounds's art explores many ideas. It often connects with nature and the role of women. Her work also looks at the human body and memory. One art expert, Julie Ewington, said in 2001 that Joan's art "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 installations in 1989. He said they were "as formal and elusive as music."

Awards and Recognition

Joan Grounds has received several important awards and residencies:

• 2002: ASIALINK Residency in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This allowed her to live and work as an artist there.
• 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

Solo Exhibitions

• 1997: Show with N.S. Harsha at the Art Gallery of NSW.
• 1995: Solo show at Annandale Galleries, Sydney.

Other Exhibitions

• 2002: Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT4) in Brisbane, Australia. This is a major art event.

Art Collections

Joan Grounds's artwork is held in several important collections:

• 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 own 4 of her works, such as We should call it a living room and Package.
• Powerhouse Museum, Sydney: They have several of her pieces, including a Ceramic parcel.