Footnotes

Provenance
Acquired directly from the artists by Vicci Sperry circa 1966
Thence by descent through the family

Exhibited
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 'The Ceramic Work of Gertrud and Otto Natzler: A Retrospective Exhibition', June 15 - August 14, 1966, no. 128
Washington, D.C., Renwick Gallery, 'Form and Fire: Natzler Ceramics 1939-1972', July 27 - October 22, 1973, no. 87

Literature
G. Norman-Wilcox and Otto Natzler, The Ceramic Work of Gertrud and Otto Natzler: A Retrospective Exhibition, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, 1966, unpaginated, no. 128 (not illustrated)
L.E. Herman and Otto Natzler, Form and Fire: Natzler Ceramics 1939-1972, The Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C., 1973, p. 65, no. 87 (illustrated in color)

'Art is the joyous and spontaneous evidence of man's capacity to express his deep feelings for beauty, order, life, and love. The more we know about the true nature of art, the more we know about our own abilities and feelings.'
-Vicci Sperry, The Art Experience

When pressed to think of a famous 20th-century artist, Jackson Pollock is a name that might be expected from a harried uninitiate. Those with a more substantive knowledge of the art world might tick off Pollock contemporaries such as Hans Hofmann or Willem de Kooning, but even seasoned collectors and art historians who could give a detailed rundown of Abstract Expressionism in the United States would be hard-pressed to mention Vicci Sperry. An incredible artist, teacher and collector, her work in the art world is finally receiving the attention it deserves.

Born in Brooklyn to Ukrainian Jewish parents, Sperry did not begin painting until she was married, moved to Chicago, and had children, an unusual start for any artist in any age. Studying under modernist painter Rudolf Weisenborn, she began exhibiting in Chicago and advanced so quickly that soon she became an art teacher herself. Her acclaim led to a solo show at George Binet Gallery in New York in 1948, where a few doors down Jackson Pollock was showing at the legendary Betty Parsons Gallery. Invigorated by the show and the city, Sperry began shifting away from representational modernism towards a more abstract and expressive approach, cognizant of the distinct influence that was emanating from the Abstract Expressionists then flourishing in New York.

Already an established artist, Sperry's dedication and enthusiasm for painting led her to the studio of Hans Hofmann, perhaps the most well-regarded painting teacher of the 20th century and an exceptional painter in his own right. Inspired by Hofmann's embrace and exploration of the spiritual nature of art, Sperry not only sharpened her understanding and technique of the medium but deepened her personal connection and transcendental approach to painting. Her work became more expressive and imbued with palpable energy while retaining the bright colors of the early French modernists that had originally inspired her fascination with Modern art.

Moving to Los Angeles in 1960, Sperry continued to paint and show her work, including exhibitions at Richard Gray Gallery in Chicago and Louis Newman Galleries in Los Angeles. Such talent did not go unrecognized, and her paintings can be found in such notable collections as the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. She continued to teach, and in 1969 published a book entitled The Art Experience, describing in fascinating detail her approach to art and its transformative nature. For years, the book was recommended reading for docents at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and it continues to inspire artists to this day.

In addition to and in conjunction with her artistic career, Sperry was an avid collector and patron of the arts. Given the wide artistic groups in which she traveled and her own natural inclination for contemporary work, Sperry had a keen eye for the superlative. She purchased Jackson Pollock's last known painting, and her collection included exceptional works from her contemporaries. This extended from painting into other media as well - including ceramics - and Bonhams is honored to offer a selection of works from her stunning collection. Sperry was a friend and acquaintance of both Peter Voulkos and Gertrud and Otto Natzler, and this group of bowls, plates, vases and sculptures are some of the finest examples of modernist ceramic art and craft to come from a single collection.

In addition to Sperry's collection of ceramics, several of her paintings will be displayed and available for private sale during the preview.