A maker of both functional and sculptural forms, Ginny Sims (Minneapolis, MN) looks to different moments in ceramic history and at the contextual information of that point in time for inspiration. Pairing these historical references with present day social and political experiences, her work has provided a source for dialogue regarding aspects of the body, domesticity and the capitalist system. Eager to further explore her work in a way that pushes both scale and concept, Sims’ aim is to return to installation-based work that is more reflective of and concerned with contemporary times.
Sims received a BA in political science with a minor in studio art from University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2001, a Trinity Certificate TESOL from Trinity College London/Windsor Institute (Barcelona, Spain) in 2004, apprenticed to potter Mike Dodd in Somerset, England in 2005, completed post-baccalaureate studies in ceramics at University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2006, and received her MFA from University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in 2012. Between and beyond her academic training, Sims has participated in various residencies at locations including Red Star Studios (Kansas City, MO), Northern Clay Center (Minneapolis, MN), Grand Marais Art Colony (Grand Marais, MN), and the Women’s Studio Workshop Parent Residency (Rosendale, NY). Throughout her career, she has received myriad awards and grants including the Jerome Foundation Study and Travel Grant in 2015, Jerome Ceramic Artist Project Grants in 2013 and 2020, an Artist Initiative Grant through the Minnesota State Arts Board in 2017, and Creative Support for Individuals through the Minnesota State Arts Board in 2022. Throughout her career Sims has conducted myriad lectures and workshops at institutions across the Midwest and currently teaches art history at Minneapolis College.
Her work has been exhibited in both group and solo exhibitions across the country and internationally at various institutions including Red Star Studios (Kansas City, MO), Anderson Ranch Arts Center (Snowmass Village, CO), Katherine E. Nash Gallery (Minneapolis, MN), Weisman Art Museum (Minneapolis, MN), Leedy-Voulkos Art Center (Kansas City, MO), Ogden Museum of Southern Art (New Orleans, LA), The Shop Floor Project (Cumbria, UK), and most recently at Nemeth Art Center (Park Rapids, MN) and 0fr (Paris, France). Additionally, Sims’ work has been featured in publications including American Craft Magazine, Ceramics Monthly, Food and Wine, and The World of Interiors.