Artist Biography
Odessa Ford, EARTH ARTIST
Odessa Ford is an Oregon based Earth Artist, Painter, Performance Artist, Art Educator, Public Arts Advocate, Spoken Word Poet and Spiritual Practitioner. She holds a BFA in painting and holds a Master of Educational Technology degree from Boise State University. Her professional arts and education career spans over 2 decades. For Odessa, art and spirituality are one in the same. “It is through Artistic Creation that we are able to connect with the divine.”
Born and raised in, and around Boise, Idaho, Odessa spent much of her youth exploring and observing nature, where she found peace and inspiration. Her curiosity and artistic abilities flourished as she spent as much time outside as possible. Through art making, Odessa became more centered, at peace and believes that art creation is a meditative practice. Even now, she spends as much time as possible on the beach, hiking, camping, and going on adventures with her new husband Ken.
In June of 2018, Odessa discovered a new passion, Sand Art, also known as an Earthscape. After experiencing a Earthscape workshop in San Francisco with California based artist Andres Amador in May 2018, Odessa packed up all her belongings into her car and moved to Salem, Oregon with her adult child Heaven. Being just an hour from the beach, Odessa spent most of her time working on the stunning beaches in and around Lincoln City, Oregon, where she has gained some local celebrity, as well as a global online following. Ford’s work is ephemeral, using only a rake and the beach as her canvas, Odessa creates extraordinary, impermanent Earth Art. Lasting sometimes only minutes, she watches as the waves reclaim her work. Her photographs, paintings and videos are a reflection and memory of the experience.
Odessa recently began exploring other land art. Stone balancing is a beautiful peaceful artform, however Odessa has taken a bold turn, incorporating color into her stone balances. In March of 2023 she joined other renowned land artists from all over the world at Llano Earth Art Festival, LEAF in Beautiful Llano, Texas. She is currently working on a body of work that incorporates performance art, her sculpture and stone balancing to communicate her ongoing healing from grief.
Odessa Ford is Ordained through the Universal Life Church. Her spiritual practice includes officiating weddings, baptisms, and spiritual advising. Her unique belief system is rooted in the idea that all beings are interconnected and have the ability to connect to the Divine energy of the Universe through our ability to create and through nature. Baptized in the Episcopal faith, Odessa has spent decades trying to fully understand herself spiritually. She calls the Universe Linda, believing that what people call God is a personal choice and should be honored.
One of Odessa's many gifts is her ability to see the energy of those who have crossed over, spirit guides and angels. Have you ever wondered what your angels or spirit guides look like? Odessa creates one of a kind, beautiful and personalized portraits. Her ability to clearly see these energies allows her to create a visual representation of them. It truly is a wonderful gift.
In 2019, Odessa moved to Eugene, Oregon with her now husband Ken Ford. They often travel hundreds of miles to complete her art. When not on the beach, you may find Ford painting in her home in Eugene, Oregon, out balancing stones or sitting quietly in mediation. Her family is her focus and they enjoy spending time doing what they enjoy, while Odessa is creating art. Her Facebook Page is full of images of their grand adventures!
No matter where you find Odessa, she will be no doubt in nature, colorful, joyful, and in the company of her beautiful family!
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