We escaped from San Francisco today up to Napa for a visit to the di Rosa Preserve . It’s been quite a few years, and I was looking forward to seeing their vast collection of Northern California art. Until we began the tour, I hadn’t realized that Gallery 2, their largest gallery space, is currently showcasing a large exhibit of the work of Viola Frey.
Before today, I was only familiar with some of Frey’s larger-than-life, ceramic, sculptures seen in places like the Oakland Museum. Seeing a comprehensive exhibit of her work and discovering she was first a painter was a surprise and unexpected to treat. Once you see Viola Frey first and foremost as a painter, her ceramic work even feels like paintings rendered in clay and glazes.
About once a year, an art exhibit comes through the Bay Area that is truly a don’t miss, incredible experience for art lovers. It is rarely the most hyped-up, big museum extravaganzas. We are only about half way through the year, but the show to see in 2019 is most definitely Viola Frey: Center Stage.
