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Kim Frohsin: Selected Figures from the 1990s - Opening reception: Saturday, March 15th from 3 to 5 pm - Exhibitions - Paul Thiebaud Gallery

Kim Frohsin
Her Appreciation, 1998
acrylic on canvas
36 x 48 in.

Paul Thiebaud Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of Kim Frohsin: Selected Figures from the 1990s on Saturday, March 15, 2025, with an opening from 3-5pm and an artist talk at 3:30pm.  On view will be 14 paintings on canvas and paper depicting scenes from a street carnival, athletes in motion, multi-figure allegories, and solitary portraits.  Drawn from experiences in her daily life and friendships with her models, Frohsin’s paintings poetically convey a sense of the inner life within her subjects through controlled and serendipitous brushstrokes.  The exhibition will be on view through May 10, 2025. 

Often described as a third generation Bay Area Figurative artist, Frohsin’s paintings are as much rooted in the lineages of Figurative painters like Richard Diebenkorn, Elmer Bischoff, and Joan Brown as they are to the tradition of thickly impastoed Abstract Expressionist paintings in the Bay Area, as well as the larger tradition of American Figurative art.  After completing her studies in painting in the late 1980s, the first works to emerge from Frohsin’s brush had an abstracted, surreal quality to them.  As her paintings developed, Frohsin’s figures fully emerged into the figurative paintings style she first became known and heralded for. 

This exhibition celebrates the works from this period for the first time in over 20 years.  Among them are signature canvases like La Jalousie, Dog People (both 1997) and Her Appreciation (1998).  Other themes among the works include depictions of athletes – Shadow of a Race (1996) and City Jogger (1995) – which Frohsin was at that time.  Also included are Fair and Carnival Fare (both 1994), which were inspired by a visit Frohsin made to a street market in San Francisco’s Civic Center, and a group of moody black and white portraits of single figures.  Made using oils or acrylics, and ranging from smooth to richly textured surfaces, Frohsin’s figures each convey personality, presence, and palpable sense of human emotion. 

Kim Frohsin was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, and went on to study at l’Institut pour les Etudiants Etrangers in Aix-en-Provence, France, and San Diego State University, where she earned a BA in Humanities and French.  She later earned a BFA from the Academy of Art College in San Francisco in 1988.  She has received numerous awards and honors throughout her over thirty-year career, including nominations for the 2014 Joan Mitchell Foundation Fellowship Grant, the 2013 Fleishhacker Foundation Eureka Fellowship, and the 1995 SECA Award at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. 

Kim Frohsin’s works can be found in numerous private, corporate, and public collections, including the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA; San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA; Monterey Museum of Art, Monterey, CA; Harnett-Hall Gallery, Minot State University, Minot, ND; Bolinas Museum, Bolinas, CA; and the Crystal Bridges Museum of Art, Bentonville, AR, among others.   This is Kim Frohsin’s third exhibition with Paul Thiebaud Gallery and her seventh since joining Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery in 1995. 

Kim Frohsin Shadow of a Race, 1996 oil on canvas 36 x 36 in.

Kim Frohsin
Shadow of a Race, 1996
oil on canvas
36 x 36 in.

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Kim Frohsin Showgirl, 1994 oil on canvas 32 x 32 in.

Kim Frohsin
Showgirl, 1994
oil on canvas
32 x 32 in.

 

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Kim Frohsin Fair, 1994 acrylic on paper 22 1/4 x 26 in.

Kim Frohsin
Fair, 1994
acrylic on paper
22 1/4 x 26 in.

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Kim Frohsin Dog People, 1997 acrylic on canvas 48 x 54 1/4 in.

Kim Frohsin
Dog People, 1997
acrylic on canvas
48 x 54 1/4 in.

Inquire
Kim Frohsin Rose Room, 1994 acrylic on paper 19 x 23 1/2 in.

Kim Frohsin
Rose Room, 1994
acrylic on paper
19 x 23 1/2 in.

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Kim Frohsin Face of Fear, 1994 acrylic, dry pigment, ink, and pencil on paper, mounted on archival board 24 1/8 x 18 7/8 in.

Kim Frohsin
Face of Fear, 1994
acrylic, dry pigment, ink, and pencil on paper, mounted on archival board
24 1/8 x 18 7/8 in.

Inquire
Kim Frohsin J.T. Pensive Pose, 1998 marker, acrylic, and ink on paper 20 x 12 1/2 in.

Kim Frohsin
J.T. Pensive Pose, 1998
marker, acrylic, and ink on paper
20 x 12 1/2 in.
SOLD

Kim Frohsin A Dark Mood, 1998 marker, acrylic, medium, and ink on paper 20 5/8 x 12 in.

Kim Frohsin
A Dark Mood, 1998
marker, acrylic, medium, and ink on paper
20 5/8 x 12 in.

Inquire
Kim Frohsin Troupe, 1994 acrylic on paper 26 x 21 in.

Kim Frohsin
Troupe, 1994
acrylic on paper
21 x 26 in.

Inquire
Kim Frohsin Carnival Fare, 1994 acrylic, dry pigment, pencil, gouache, and ink on paper, mounted on archival board 18 1/2 x 23 1/8 in.

Kim Frohsin
Carnival Fare, 1994
acrylic, dry pigment, pencil, gouache, and ink on paper, mounted on archival board
18 1/2 x 23 1/8 in.

Inquire
Kim Frohsin City Jogger, 1995 acrylic, medium, and gouache on paper 12 7/8 x 12 3/8 in.

Kim Frohsin
City Jogger, 1995
acrylic, medium, and gouache on paper
12 7/8 x 12 3/8 in.

Inquire
Kim Frohsin La Jalousie, 1997 acrylic on canvas 24 x 24 in.

Kim Frohsin
La Jalousie, 1997
acrylic on canvas
24 x 24 in.

Inquire
Kim Frohsin Cynthia, 1994 acrylic, inky medium, oil, and dry pigment on paper 14 1/8 x 13 1/2 in.

Kim Frohsin
Cynthia, 1994
acrylic, inky medium, oil, and dry pigment on paper
14 1/8 x 13 1/2 in.

Inquire
Kim Frohsin Her Appreciation, 1998 acrylic on canvas 36 x 48 in.

Kim Frohsin
Her Appreciation, 1998
acrylic on canvas
36 x 48 in.

Inquire
Kim Frohsin The Gardner, 1997 acrylic, ink, gouache on paper 10 x 13 5/8 in. (image)

Kim Frohsin
The Gardener, 1999
acrylic, ink, gouache on paper
10 x 13 5/8 in. (image)

Inquire
Kim Frohsin Frenchwoman, 1995 acrylic on paper 15 3/4 x 12 1/4 in.

Kim Frohsin
Frenchwoman, 1995
acrylic on paper
15 3/4 x 12 1/4 in.

Inquire
Kim Frohsin Conversation, 1994 acrylic on paper 24 7/8 x 20 3/4 in.

Kim Frohsin
Conversation, 1994
acrylic on paper
24 7/8 x 20 3/4 in.

Inquire
Kim Frohsin Boy in Blue Light, 1994 acrylic on paper 22 x 30 in.

Kim Frohsin
Boy in Blue Light, 1994
acrylic on paper
22 x 30 in.

Inquire
Kim Frohsin Shadow of a Race, 1996 oil on canvas 36 x 36 in.

Kim Frohsin
Shadow of a Race, 1996
oil on canvas
36 x 36 in.

Kim Frohsin Showgirl, 1994 oil on canvas 32 x 32 in.

Kim Frohsin
Showgirl, 1994
oil on canvas
32 x 32 in.

 

Kim Frohsin Fair, 1994 acrylic on paper 22 1/4 x 26 in.

Kim Frohsin
Fair, 1994
acrylic on paper
22 1/4 x 26 in.

Kim Frohsin Dog People, 1997 acrylic on canvas 48 x 54 1/4 in.

Kim Frohsin
Dog People, 1997
acrylic on canvas
48 x 54 1/4 in.

Kim Frohsin Rose Room, 1994 acrylic on paper 19 x 23 1/2 in.

Kim Frohsin
Rose Room, 1994
acrylic on paper
19 x 23 1/2 in.

Kim Frohsin Face of Fear, 1994 acrylic, dry pigment, ink, and pencil on paper, mounted on archival board 24 1/8 x 18 7/8 in.

Kim Frohsin
Face of Fear, 1994
acrylic, dry pigment, ink, and pencil on paper, mounted on archival board
24 1/8 x 18 7/8 in.

Kim Frohsin J.T. Pensive Pose, 1998 marker, acrylic, and ink on paper 20 x 12 1/2 in.

Kim Frohsin
J.T. Pensive Pose, 1998
marker, acrylic, and ink on paper
20 x 12 1/2 in.
SOLD

Kim Frohsin A Dark Mood, 1998 marker, acrylic, medium, and ink on paper 20 5/8 x 12 in.

Kim Frohsin
A Dark Mood, 1998
marker, acrylic, medium, and ink on paper
20 5/8 x 12 in.

Kim Frohsin Troupe, 1994 acrylic on paper 26 x 21 in.

Kim Frohsin
Troupe, 1994
acrylic on paper
21 x 26 in.

Kim Frohsin Carnival Fare, 1994 acrylic, dry pigment, pencil, gouache, and ink on paper, mounted on archival board 18 1/2 x 23 1/8 in.

Kim Frohsin
Carnival Fare, 1994
acrylic, dry pigment, pencil, gouache, and ink on paper, mounted on archival board
18 1/2 x 23 1/8 in.

Kim Frohsin City Jogger, 1995 acrylic, medium, and gouache on paper 12 7/8 x 12 3/8 in.

Kim Frohsin
City Jogger, 1995
acrylic, medium, and gouache on paper
12 7/8 x 12 3/8 in.

Kim Frohsin La Jalousie, 1997 acrylic on canvas 24 x 24 in.

Kim Frohsin
La Jalousie, 1997
acrylic on canvas
24 x 24 in.

Kim Frohsin Cynthia, 1994 acrylic, inky medium, oil, and dry pigment on paper 14 1/8 x 13 1/2 in.

Kim Frohsin
Cynthia, 1994
acrylic, inky medium, oil, and dry pigment on paper
14 1/8 x 13 1/2 in.

Kim Frohsin Her Appreciation, 1998 acrylic on canvas 36 x 48 in.

Kim Frohsin
Her Appreciation, 1998
acrylic on canvas
36 x 48 in.

Kim Frohsin The Gardner, 1997 acrylic, ink, gouache on paper 10 x 13 5/8 in. (image)

Kim Frohsin
The Gardener, 1999
acrylic, ink, gouache on paper
10 x 13 5/8 in. (image)

Kim Frohsin Frenchwoman, 1995 acrylic on paper 15 3/4 x 12 1/4 in.

Kim Frohsin
Frenchwoman, 1995
acrylic on paper
15 3/4 x 12 1/4 in.

Kim Frohsin Conversation, 1994 acrylic on paper 24 7/8 x 20 3/4 in.

Kim Frohsin
Conversation, 1994
acrylic on paper
24 7/8 x 20 3/4 in.

Kim Frohsin Boy in Blue Light, 1994 acrylic on paper 22 x 30 in.

Kim Frohsin
Boy in Blue Light, 1994
acrylic on paper
22 x 30 in.