Get to know Jeremiah Ibarra, Watershed’s 2024 Salad Days Artist-in-Residence, as he talks about craft, cartoons, and cultivating opportunities for future generations of artists.
Background
Jeremiah Ibarra is from Texas, but, despite his assertions that he hasn’t traveled much, he’s worked all over the U.S. He traces his start in clay back to his hometown, San Angelo, where he grew up watching and participating in a biennial ceramics competition. After receiving an MFA from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, Ibarra participated in residencies in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and beyond. It is to Watershed’s great delight that he ended up in Newcastle, Maine for the better part of a year.
During his seven-month stay, Ibarra tackled long nights and weathered Maine’s infamous winter storms. The culmination of his hard work is represented by the nearly 500 plates he meticulously crafted for this year’s Salad Days.
Design & Process
Looking at Ibarra’s plates, one would have to assume he’s a dog fanatic. His designs feature hundreds of wagging tails, floppy ears, and furry paws, each one unique and carefully sketched onto pastel backgrounds. But it wasn’t canine-craziness that drove this decision. “I’m not obsessed with dogs or animals or anything like that,” says Ibarra. “I was trying to find something that I wouldn’t mind drawing a lot of. I needed something with variety so that it wouldn’t feel like it was becoming too stagnant for myself.” Ibarra also notes that he wanted to appeal to a large audience with his plates, and “dogs are one of those things that most people like.”
This residency provided Ibarra with the opportunity to develop ideas into material objects and push the boundaries of his practice. In particular, he focused on exploring the relationship between illustration, familiarity, and nostalgia. If you look closely, you’ll find a handful of cartoon canines mixed in with his realistic breeds. “This way of drawing is something that’s been on my mind for a while,” says Ibarra. “This residency with Watershed was an opportunity to figure out and hone in on this skill and this process. That’s been the main driving force.” Ibarra’s stay at Watershed presented him with space and time for experimentation and play.
“This way of drawing is something that’s been on my mind for a while,” says Ibarra. “This residency with Watershed was an opportunity to figure out and hone in on this skill and this process. That’s been the main driving force.”
To the next Salad Days Artist-in-Residence, Ibarra emphasized the importance of planning ahead when undertaking such an exciting, lengthy project. He also really encourages his successor to engage with local Mainers. “Not just for the sake of keeping your sanity, but there’s a really great community here. I think my younger self would be fine staying in the studio alone all the time, but as I’ve gotten older I feel that community-building is really more of what it’s about.”
Takeaways
Having participated in multiple residency programs, Ibarra is no stranger to the bittersweet mix of emotions that comes with a goodbye. He notes that he’ll miss the boundless access to a space as large and unique as Watershed’s Windgate Studio.
Ibarra was very deliberate in how his work would interact with the tradition of displaying illustrated, commemorative plates. “A lot of those objects aren’t meant to be used—they end up sitting on a cabinet or a shelf,” says Ibarra. “I’ve tried my best to make sure that these plates are functional. It’s rewarding whenever I can see my work being used and holding up over time. The goal is to not only have these plates live in the legacy of the artists who have done this before me, but also have them do what they’re meant to do: help these programs grow at Watershed.” He hopes that everyone who purchases one of his plates at Salad Days finds joy, practicality, and connection in his designs.
“The goal is to not only have these plates live in the legacy of the artists who have done this before me, but also have them do what they’re meant to do: help these programs grow at Watershed.”
When asked for his final reflections, Ibarra says: “This time that I’ve had here has been really special. I’m excited to see how Watershed grows in the coming years. There’s a lot of big changes happening, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”