We are thrilled to present Niki Ford’s outdoor ceramics in their exhibition “FREAK OF NATURE” opening in the sculpture Garden at Five Car Garage April 13th from 2-5pm. For this exhibition, Ford presents an unfiltered and imaginative, interpretation of the garden and its traditional sculptural elements, such as the gnome, planter, lantern, birdbath and bench. The artist’s signature polyp-clustered, multi-colored surfaces are reminiscent of human and non-human processes of building and decay.

Niki Ford channels otherworldly narratives and beings through drawing, painting and ceramic sculpture. Hands in deep, they dive through other realms, which reveal bodies, water, plants, landforms, poetry/prayer, histories and time. Ford leans into corporeality, intuition, devotion, liminality, dream states, emotion and healing and all possibilities expressed through queerness and gender non-conformity.

Working with line, texture, vibration, color, repetition and pattern, Ford’s artworks finds symmetry with textile and pattern, making this a perfect partner with Ekta Aggarwal’s show “Stitches of Care” at Five Car Garage. Ford also deviates from repetition/pattern; employing sympathetic gesture and repair that demonstrate an overall commitment to the imperfect life of each vessel, creature or object. In the past they have referred to their practice as ‘psychedelic brutalism’ as it combines spirit work, intuitive construction, and process driven aesthetics.

Their ceramic sculpture and works on paper are in the collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody and other private collections. Ford holds a BFA in printmaking from the Massachusetts College of Art. They returned to drawing/painting and clay after two decades of working as a pedigreed cook and chef.

Niki Ford (they/them) lives and works in Los Angeles. Recent exhibitions include: Felix Fair with Broadway Gallery (NYC), Los Angeles(2024), "Jeweled Earth; New Work by Niki Ford and Jieun Reiner,' La Loma Projects, Los Angeles (2023). "Kneeling At The Mouth", The Lodge, Los Angeles (solo) 2022, Terence Koh: diary (as a member of Terence’s online “community store” and shared recipe pages), Andrew Edlin Gallery, New York (group) 2020, Objects for Spiritual Use, Annex at M+B, Los Angeles (group) 2018, and GUT FRIENDS, curated by Ry Rocklen with the Carolyn Glasoe Bailey Foundation, Ojai (group 2018).