Tricia Ward is a visual artist who has worked at the intersection of environmental design, community organizing, and civic engagement for over 25 years. Her works span land art, sculptural installation, assemblage, and performance curating. A pioneer of “creative placemaking,” Ward’s innovative ArtParks transformed derelict urban lots into vibrant neighborhood gathering places that, to this day, provide both environmental remediation and platforms for community-generated programming.

In 1992 Ward founded the non-profit organization ACLA (formerly ARTScorpsLA), through which she produced numerous socially-engaged and environmental art projects across Los Angeles County. With the support of major grants from organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the Getty Trust, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the California Arts Council, ACLA and its neighborhood partners were responsible for creating the ArtParks La Tierra de la Culebra, Spiraling Orchard, and Francis Avenue Garden. Other initiatives included a citywide mural program with classrooms from the Los Angeles Unified School District, quarterly performance celebrations, and the creation of Chinatown Studio, a neighborhood learning center and performance space. ACLA, which stands for art..community..land..activism strove to link “a healthy environment to a healthy humanity.”

Ward and the work of ACLA have been reviewed and discussed extensively in periodicals such as the L.A. Times and the New York Times, as well as in the books Commitment to Place: Urban Excellence and Community, published by the Rudy Bruner Foundation and Conversations at the Castle, ed. Michael Brenson and Mary Jane Jacob, published by MIT Press. Ward taught for many years in the University of Southern California Roski School of Art and Design’s Department of Public Art Studies and Urban Cultural Planning. She has guest lectured at graduate programs throughout the United States, including Harvard University, UCLA, UC Irvine, and the San Francisco Art Institute.

Watch an interview with Ward for the series Performing Public Space

Curriculum Vitae

Projects With, For, and Among the Public

La Tierra de la Culebra: ArtPark and Environmental Learning Center realized in collaboration with neighborhood youth and their families, and with support from the Getty Trust, NEA, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Surdna Foundation, among others; Highland Park Neighborhood, Los Angeles, CA, 1992-2017

Incised Ziggurat: Large-scale earthwork built within La Tierra de la Culebra, organized in collaboration with neighborhood youth and funding from the NEA and the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, 1999-2003

Spiraling Orchard: ArtPark and Environmental Learning Center realized in collaboration with neighborhood youth and their families, and with support from the Rockefeller, Surdna, and California Community Foundations, among others; Temple-Beaudry Neighborhood, Los Angeles, CA, 1995-2017

Spiraling Roots: Sculptural gardens of California native plants designed to purify a former oil field in collaboration with phytoremediation engineers from USC’s Center for Sustainable Cities and the Urban Wildlands Foundation, organized with the Spiraling Orchard community and support from the NEA, Surdna and Rockefeller Foundations, 2002-2007

Happy Meals as part of Navilandia al Sur: Collaborative Installation with Anne Bray and Cuerda Producciones at the Udaondo Gastrointestinal Hospital in the Parque Patricios area of Buenos Aires, organized by cHelA Art & Technology Center, 2012

The Frog Fry: A community gathering space within a Row House Project featuring a subterranean frog-shaped barbecue pit, with support from Boeing Aeronautics, Houston, TX, 2004

Riches Of Detroit: ArtPark and Emergency Housing designed with Deborah Grotfeldt in collaboration with the Bogg Labor Center and the Katherine Ferguson High School for Young Mothers And Their Babies in Detroit, MI, 1999-2003

Urban Pathways Pico-Union Project: An outdoor classroom environment and workshop series to educate and empower youth as they navigate their city, created while Artist-in-Residence with the Los Angeles Conservation Corps and sponsored by the LA Community Redevelopment Agency and the California Arts Council, Los Angeles, CA, 1999-00

Francis Avenue Garden Park: ArtPark and Community Gardens realized with local students and seniors from the Unitarian Church and Senior Housing; organized in partnership with LAUSD, SCI-Arc, and funded by ARCO, Koreatown Neighborhood, Los Angeles, CA, 1996-99

Renaissance Artisans Skill Center: Proposal for an ArtPark and Environmental Learning Center, Earnest Debs Regional Park, L.A (unrealized), 1998

Walls Of Reclamation: Community Mural Project spanning 28 locations throughout Los Angeles County, in collaboration with LAUSD and the Hollywood Beautification Team, 1995-97

Reptilia Island: Proposal for an Environmental Play and Learning Center in Central Park, Pasadena, CA (unrealized), 1992-94

Desert Lizard: Landscaped stone garden and sculpture for a private residence in Los Angeles, CA, 1990-91

Grotto: Landscaped sculptural environment for a private residence in Los Angeles, CA, 1990-92

Reptilian Fertility Earthwork and Gardens: Redevelopment of a section of the Sara D. Roosevelt Park on Manhattan’s Lower East Side through the creation of a large scale earthwork and accompanying community gardens, as well as public programming for the park’s Senior Center, completed with support from the NYC Parks Dept. and Artists Space Individual Artist Grant, 1986-89

Of His Environment: Mural-relief commissioned by the Winston-Masterson Family Fund and later donated to the San Antonio Zoo, 1986

The Whole Of The Lands: Series of integrated gardens, gathering spaces, and large-scale kinetic bronze sculptures designed for a 5-acre private residence in Hunt, TX, 1982-1986

Select Professional Positions And Affiliations

1992-2017

Founding Artistic Director of ACLA (formerly ARTScorpsLA)

2003-2009

Founding Board Member of the LA Neighborhood Land Trust

1999-2003

Founding Member of the Verde Coalition

1995-2003

Appointed by the City of Los Angeles Mayor And City Council to serve as a commissioner for the City of LA Commission on Children, Youth and their Families

1993-2003

Advisory Board Member for the Deb’s Park Master Plan Re-development

1999-2002

Youth and Community Liaison Board Member of the Arroyo Arts Collective

Select Solo and Group Exhibitions

2013

Beat the Drum. Ford Amphitheater, Los Angeles, CA.

2012

Beat the Drum: Heartbeats of the Four Continents. Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA.

2001

Artists Take On Detroit (collaboration with Deborah Grotfeldt). Detroit Institute of Art, Detroit, MI.

2000

Architecture of Resistance. University of Detroit at Mercy, Mercy, MI.

1999

Shared Foundations. Project Row Houses, Houston, TX.

1998

Without Alarm II. Lincoln Heights Jail, Los Angeles, CA.

1997

The Collaborative Process: Inclusion Of Arts In Social Networks. Euphrat Museum, Cupertino, CA.

1996

Conversations at the Castle: Conversations on Culture, Youth, Art And Society. The Castle, Atlanta, GA.

Women in Action: Artistic Evidence. University Art Museum CalState Long Beach, Long Beach, CA.

1995

New Visions For Historic Neighborhoods. Weingart Galleries at Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA.

1993

Breaking Barriers. Santa Monica Museum Of Art, Santa Monica, CA.

Life On Earth. Jose Drudis-Biada Gallery at Mount St. Mary’s College, Los Angeles, CA.

1992

Homages to the Environment. Gardens of Art, Bellingham, WA.

1989

Lower East Side Printshop Fellows Exhibition. City Gallery Of Columbus Circle, New York, NY.

Early Installations

1988

Ten In Chinatown. Installation at City Hall organized by the Mayor’s Office and the Asian American Arts Center, New York, NY.

Plants/Animals/Food. Windows On White (solo exhibition), New York, NY.

1987

Fossilized Evolution. Henry St. Settlement Façade (solo exhibition), New York, NY.

Small Time Show. Baca Gallery, Brooklyn, NY.

Out On Their Ears. Henry St. Settlement Gallery, New York, NY.

Art On Film. Downy Museum Of Art, Downey, CA.

1986

Primitive Visions. Zeus/Trabia Gallery, New York, NY.

Reflections Of Kingship. Galveston Artists Guild (solo exhibition), Galveston, TX.

1984

Body Forms. Roberto Molina Gallery (solo exhibition), Houston, TX.

Awards, Grants and Fellowships

2014 California Community Foundation, Mid-Career Artist Fellowship

1993-2004 California Arts Council, Artists-in-Community Residency

1994-2002 Getty Trust for Visual Arts, Getty Grant

1998-2001 Eureka Communities of Los Angeles, Fellowship

1992-2001 City Council Of Los Angeles, Neighborhood Events Fund Award

1999-2000 Bruner Foundation, Silver Award for Urban Excellence in Place-making

1994-1999 City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs & LA Trust Fund, Individual Artist Fellowships for Community Projects

1997 Headlands Center for the Arts & Sciences, The Bridges Fellowship and Residency

1996 National Arts Association, Award of the Year

1994-96 National Endowment For The Arts, Art in Public Places Individual Artist Grant

1995 Highland Park Heritage Trust, Award Of Merit

1993-95 Public Arts Trust Fund and the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Individual Artist Grant for Youth Arts Programming

1992 California Community Foundation Arts Recovery Fund for Healing Projects, Individual Artist Grant

1989 Citizens Committee of New York City: Landmark Parks Renewal Project, Individual Artist Project Grant

1987-88 Lower Eastside Printshop, Bob Blackburn Fellowship

1987-89 Artist Space, Project Support Awards

Bibliography

Tricia Ward, “Detroit and Los Angeles: A Study in Similarities,” Viewpoint Routledge Local Environment, Vol. 12, No.2, 183-192, April 2007

Robert Shibley, “Commitment to Place: Urban Excellence and Community,” Rudy Bruner Foundation, 2001

Michael Brenson, “The Virtues Of Public Art,” SES Conference, San Paulo, Brazil, April 1997

Michael Brenson and Mary Jane Jacob, editors, MIT Press “Conversations at The Castle,” chapter co-authored by Tricia Ward & Amina Dickerson, “Youth, Art And Society,” 1998

James Blair, “It’s Not Just Some Cheezy Mural,” LA Times, April 6,1996

Mary Anne Perez, “Artist’s Hopes For A Garden Bear Fruit,” LA Times, Jan. 1, 1995

Mary Anne Perez, “Recycling Vacant Site,” LA Times, Dec. 12, 1993

Jessica Goodheart, “Drumbeats & Culture Clash,” LA Times, Feb. 11, 1993

Jessica Goodheart, “Serpent Getting a Garden,” LA Times, Oct. 15, 1992

J. Hoberman, “New Spirituality Is It Rising?,” Village Voice, May 28, 1988

Marsha Walker, “Street Harvester, Tricia Ward,” ArtScene Houston, 1986

Patricia Johnson, “What Culture? Views!,” Houston Post, Jan. 16, 1983

*The series of articles about ARTScorpsLA are not listed here

Brief of Teaching and Lecturing Experience

2013 SOC(i)AL: Art + People, “Can Artists Heal Nature in LA?,” and “It’s Simple: Reciprocal Collaboration,” Presenter

2012 Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning Conference, “An Artist Lost in Planning Land,” Presenter

2011 University of Southern California, Graduate Landscape Architecture, Guest Presenter/Project Reviewer

2008-2013 University of Southern California, Graduate Public Art Studies and Urban Planning, Adjunct Professor

1998-2005 Harvard University, Graduate School Of Design, “Indigenous Vernacular/Re-used Space,” Lecturer

2002-03 University of Southern California, Sustainable Cities Program, “Equitable Distribution and Prop K Report,” Advisor/ Lecturer

2001-2003 Headlands Center for the Arts, “Repossessing The Fallow,” Presenter

2002 National Conference on Historic Preservation, “History as an Education Center,” Presenter

2001 Seattle Arts Commission Community Forum: Empowering Community Through The Arts, “Artists Creating Arts Spaces,” Presenter

2000 National Community Building Network’s Conference, “The Courage To Build Community: Stepping Beyond Traditional Lines,” Presenter

2000 Center For Urban Ecology/University Of Detroit-Mercy, “Architecture Of Resistance” Presenter

1999 University of Southern California, Department of Communications,“Model Projects & Transcendence of Discourse,” Guest Speaker

1996-98 Museum of Television And Radio, “The Art Of Ecology,” Presenter

1997 Getty Research Institute For History of Art And Humanities, “The Arts And Environmental Activism,” Panel Organizer and Speaker

1997 Getty Research Institute, “L.A. Interchange: Built L.A.,” Symposium Panelist

1997-98 Yale University, International Summit on Arts & Ideas, Guest Speaker

1997-2000 University of California Los Angeles, Division of Cultural Planning, Adjunct Professor and Guest Lecturer

1996-7 International Sculpture Conference, “Collaboration Out Of Control,” Presenter

1996 Headlands Center For The Arts, “Public Domain/The Redefinition,” Panelist

1996 and 2000 San Francisco Art Institute, Art As Healing Speaker Series, Guest Speaker

1996 University of California at Berkeley, “Redefining The Urban Space,” Guest Lecture

1992-95 University of California At Irvine, School of the Arts, Guest Lecturer

Education

1972

B.F.A. San Francisco Art Institute

1971

Independent Studies In Europe