biography

The interdisciplinary artist Viola Frey (1933–2004), was a prolific creator who produced thousands of artworks during her lifetime. While best known for her ceramic monumental sculptures, Frey’s artmaking spanned more than 40 years and encompassed paintings, drawings, and bronze and glass sculptures. Frey was obsessively devoted to her practice and produced thousands of artworks during her lifetime. Her work explores social constructs, marks of civilization, and gender dynamics, and features a thoughtfully built iconography including suited men, hands, and cast figurines. Her work in clay was ahead of its time, bridging the gap between craft and fine art, while pushing the boundaries of ceramic sculpture. 

Viola Frey received her BFA and honorary doctorate from California College of the Arts and Crafts in 1953 and attended graduate school at Tulane University. She taught at California College of Arts and Crafts (now CCA) for over three decades, influencing generations of young artists and formalizing the use of clay as an artistic medium.

Viola Frey was the recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships and the Award of Honor in Sculpture from the San Francisco Arts Commission, among many other honors. Her work is held in numerous public and private collections, including the Paris Museum of Modern Art (Paris, France); Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, DC); the Whitney Museum of American Art (New York, NY); the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (Houston, TX); and Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Los Angeles, CA), among many others.

In 2000, Viola Frey co-founded the Artists’ Legacy Foundation with Squeak Carnwath and Gary Knecht. Upon her death in 2004, she entrusted the Foundation to steward her legacy. Over the last 20 years, her artwork has been included in more than 190 exhibitions, demonstrating her lasting contribution to the contemporary artistic discourse. In December 2024, The Foundation co-published the new book Viola Frey: Artist’s Mind/Studio/World – the first monograph focusing on Frey’s robust career.