Mary Frank facts for kids

Mary Frank (born February 4, 1933) is a talented British and American artist. She creates amazing works as a sculptor, painter, printmaker, draftswoman, and illustrator.

About Mary Frank

Her Early Life and Artistic Start

Untitled (Prone Man, Two Trees) by Mary Frank

Mary Frank was born in London, England, in 1933. Her mother, Eleanore Lockspeiser, was an American painter. Her father, Edward Lockspeiser, was an English music expert and art critic.

When World War II began in 1939, Mary left London. In 1940, she moved to Brooklyn, New York, to live with her grandparents.

From 1945 to 1950, she studied modern dance with Martha Graham. She also attended the High School of Music & Art in New York. Later, she went to the Professional Children's School, where she focused on dance.

While in high school, Mary met Robert Frank, a Swiss photographer. They got married in 1950. Around this time, she started studying wood carving. She also learned drawing from famous artists like Max Beckmann and Hans Hofmann.

Mary had two children, Pablo and Andrea. In 1955, her husband Robert received a special award. They traveled across the United States with their children for the next two years.

Growing as an Artist

Mary Frank first showed her drawings in New York City in 1958. In 1969, she started working with the Zabriskie Gallery. She was inspired by the sculptures of Margaret Ponce Israel. This led her to begin creating art with clay.

In 1969, Mary and Robert Frank divorced. Sadly, Mary faced personal losses. Her daughter, Andrea, passed away in 1974. Later, her son, Pablo, also passed away in 1994.

Mary Frank has continued to create art for over five decades. She mostly taught herself how to be a sculptor. Today, she lives and works in Lake Hill, New York, and New York City. Since 1995, she has been married to Leo Treitler, who is a pianist and music expert.

Important Achievements and Collections

Mary Frank has received many awards and honors for her art. In 1984, she became a member of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. She also received two Guggenheim Foundation awards in 1973 and 1983.

Other important awards include the Lee Krasner Award in 1993 and the Joan Mitchell Grant Award in 1995. She was also elected to the National Academy of Design. Mary Frank has taught art at Bard College, where she was honored as a Distinguished Professor.

Her artworks are displayed in many famous museums. These include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Her art can also be seen at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and the Art Institute of Chicago.

Her Artworks

Mary Frank has created many different kinds of art. Here are some of her notable works:

• Persephone (Ceramic sculpture, 1989)
• Messenger (Cast bronze sculpture, 1991–92)
• What Color Lament? (Oil and collage on board, 1991–93)
• Knowing by Heart (closed) (Acrylic, oil, and collage on panel, 1997)
• Knowing by Heart (open) (Acrylic, oil, and collage on panel, 1997)
• This is the Remembering (closed) (Oil and acrylic on panel, 1996–97)
• This is the Remembering (open) (Oil and acrylic on panel, 1996–97)
• Migration (closed) (Acrylic, oil, and collage on panel, 1998–99)
• Migration (open) (Acrylic, oil, and collage on panel, 1998–99)
• Where or When? (closed) (Acrylic, oil and collage on panel, 1998–99)
• Where or When? (open) (Acrylic, oil and collage on panel, 1998–99)
• Ballad (closed) (Acrylic, oil and collage on panel, 1997–99)
• Ballad (open) (Acrylic, oil and collage on panel, 1997–99)
• Creature (Oil on panel, 1999)

See also

• Inscape (visual art)