Ceramic and glazes
7 1/2 x 11 1/2 x 4 in (19.05 x 29.21 x 10.16 cm)

(1933–2004, lived and worked in San Francisco)

Viola Frey (1933–2004) belongs to the same generation of artists as Lynda Benglis and Betty Woodman. Trained as a painter but committed to clay, Frey spent her life pushing the rules of fine art to develop her artistic practice, which ultimately laid the groundwork for her iconic larger-than-life ceramic figures. In her early years, Frey explored clay’s sculptural nature by using unlikely tools such as air-brush painting and press molds to add color and dimension. Included in Winterfest is a series of these early “wares,” which are shaped as or depict animals, a teapot, goblet, and bookends.

Image: 2020 © Artists’ Legacy Foundation / Licensed by ARS, New York