Biography
Frances Trombly was born in Miami, Florida where she lives and works. Trombly received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Maryland Institute, College of Art (1998). Her work considers the relationship between textiles and painting, exposing history and labor by deconstructing and liberating the canvas. She continues her art practice celebrating the importance of fiber as a material in contemporary art.
Selected solo exhibitions include “All This Time” (2020), Emerson Dorsch, Miami, Florida; “Material and it’s Making” (2016). Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Santa Monica, California; “Frances Trombly: Everything and Nothing” (2011), Moore College of Art & Design, Goldie Paley Gallery, Philadelphia, PA. Selected group exhibitions include “#Fail” (2022), Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA; “Illusions are Real, Manif d’art, Québec City Biennale” (2022), Quebec City, Canada; “Americana: Formalizing Craft” (2013), Perez Art Museum Miami, Miami, FL; ”united states” (2012), The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT.
Trombly received an ArtPace Residency (2022) San Antonio, TX; Oolite Arts Residency (2019) Miami Beach, FL; Hambidge Center Residency (2019) Rabun Gap, GA; Ellies (2019) Oolite Arts Grant.
Trombly co-directs Dimensions Variable, an exhibition space in Miami, Florida. The artist is represented by Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Solo Exhibitions
2020
All This Time, Emerson Dorsch, Miami, Florida
2016
Material and it’s Making, Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Santa Monica, California
2013
Over and Under, Locust Projects, Miami, Florida
2011
Not Paintings, Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Santa Monica, California
Frances Trombly: Everything and Nothing, Moore College of Art & Design, Goldie Paley Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2010
A Point From Which to Start, Galeria Casas Riegner, Bogotá, Colombia
Paintings, Girls’ Club, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
2008
Thinking of Things, David Castillo Gallery, Miami, Florida
Tethered, The Art Gallery, Government Center, Miami, Florida
2006
Frances Trombly, Kevin Bruk Gallery, Miami, Florida
2005
It Makes Me Happy, Leonard Tachmes Gallery, North Miami, Florida
Group Exhibitions
2024
Frances Trombly & Leyden Rodriguez-Casanova: Events in Time, Mindy Solomon Gallery, Miami, FL
2023
You Are Here, Dimensions Variable, Miami, FL
Hand over Hand: Textiles Today, Mindy Solomon Gallery, Miami, FL
It was always about you…, Oolite Arts, Miami Beach, FL
2022
Composition and Layout, Mindy Solomon Gallery, Miami, FL
#Fail, Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA
Illusions are Real, Manif d’art, Québec City Biennale, Quebec City, Canada
Wabi Sabi, Sun Valley Museum of Art, Ketcham, Idaho
2021
Above & Below, Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Warp and Weft, The Frank C. Ortis Gallery, Pembroke Pines, FL
2019
Happy, NSU Art Museum, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
America Weaves, Coral Gables Art Museum, Coral Gables
Florida Altered States of Consciousness, Oolite Arts, Miami Beach, Florida
2018
Deconstruction: A reordering of life, politics, and art, Frost Art Museum, Miami, Florida
Collection Exhibition, Frost Art Museum, Miami, Florida
2017
Stitch, Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus, Ohio
Change Agents, Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, Hollywood, Florida
Blue in the Face, Gallery Protocol, Gainesville, Florida
A Thread of Execution, Dimensions Variable, Miami, Florida
Sunrise, Sunset, Emerson Dorsch, Miami, Florida
2016
Lost Spaces and Stories, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Contemporary Arts Program, Miami, Florida
Belief + Doubt: Selections from the Francie Bishop Good and David Horvitz Collection, NSU Art Museum, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
2015
Time and Materials, FIU Miami Beach Urban Studios, Miami Beach, Florida
Residential Properties, Miami, Florida
Art on the Green, City of Winter Park, Orlando, Florida
Alternative Contemporaneities: Temporary Autonomous Zones (TAZ), Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, Florida
Habit: the politics of repetition, Emerson Dorsch, Miami, Florida
Locally Sourced, Transformer, American University Museum College of Arts & Sciences, Washington, DC
2014
Textures of Place, Prosjektrom Normanns, Stavanger, Norway
On Location, Dimensions Variable, Art Center South Florida, Miami Beach, Florida
2013
Americana: Formalizing Craft, Perez Art Museum Miami
The Medium’s Session, Zeitgeist Gallery, Nashville, TN
Multiplicity, ArtCenter/South Florida, Miami, FL
2012
united states, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT
Not What It Seems, Kennesaw State University Art Museum, Kennesaw, GA
Trombly Rodriguez, The Fabric of a Space, Abrons Art Center, New York, NY
2011
Come Together: Frances Trombly and Leyden Rodriguez-Casanova, Bass Museum of Art, Miami Beach, FL
Off, Lejos del lugar en cuestión, Galeria Casas Riegner, Bogotá, Colombia
Press Plush, Garfo Art Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Contained, Boston Center for the Arts, Boston, Massachusetts
2010
Last Minute Intervention, Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Santa Monica, California
New Work Miami, Miami Art Museum, Miami, Florida
Look Again, SECCA, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Gallery Projects, David Castillo Gallery, Miami, Florida
Aesthetics & Values, The Frost Art Museum, Miami, Florida
2009
In Stitches, Leila Taghinia-Milani Heller Gallery, New York, New York
Night Shift, Bass Museum of Art, Miami Beach, Florida
Our Beginnings Never Know Our Ends, Monya Rowe Gallery, New York, New York
New Art, South Florida Cultural Consortium Media and Visual Arts Fellowship Exhibition, University Galleries Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
Gallery Projects, David Castillo Gallery, Miami, Florida
With You I Want to Live: Francie Bishop Good & David Horvitz Collection, Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale/Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Coupling, Buena Vista Building, Design District, Miami, Florida
2008
Under the Influence, Girls’ Club & Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Hecho a mano, el oficio en el arte, Casas Riegner Gallery, Bogotá, Columbia
Five Solo Shows, David Castillo Gallery, Miami, Florida
Open Space, Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City, NY
Tuttle, David Castillo Gallery, Miami, Florida
Yardwork, CasaLin, Miami, Florida
Disappearances, Shadows and Illusions, Miami Art Museum, Miami, Florida
Self-Storage, California College of the Arts, The Hardware Store Gallery, San Francisco, California
2007
Top Soil, Curated by Mette Tommerup, Casa Lin, Miami, Florida
Id Is, Steven Wolf Fine Arts Gallery, San Francisco, California
Real Time, David Castillo Gallery, Miami, Florida
What’s Your Hobby?, Curated by Beth DeWoody, The Fireplace Project, East Hampton, New York
Craft Women and Rebel Grrrls, MoCA, The Goldman Warehouse, Miami, Florida
Stitch in Time, University of California, San Francisco, California
Drawn In/Drawn Out, Florida Atlantic University Gallery, Boca Raton, Florida
2006
Papel, Casas Riegner Gallery, Bogotá, Columbia
Tour, Hilger Contemporary, Vienna Biennale, Vienna, Austria
Locust Projects, Milwaukee International Art Fair, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Embroidered Stories/Knitted Tales, Bedford Gallery, Walnut Creek, California
Native Seeds, Art Center South Florida, Miami, Florida
Something, Locust Projects, Miami, Florida
2005
I woke up in a strange place, Moti Hasson Gallery, New York, New York
MoCA and Miami, Museum Of Contemporary Art, North Miami, Florida
On the Mark, Fine Arts Center Gallery, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island
Hanging by a Thread, The Moore Space, Miami, Florida
Reduced, Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, Hollywood, Florida
Trading Places, Museum Of Contemporary Art, North Miami, Florida
Something is Somewhere, Curated by Anat Ebgi, Monya Rowe Gallery, New York, New York
For Everyone and No One, Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, Florida
Carina Randlov and Frances Trombly, Moti Hasson Gallery, New York, New York
Open House, Bank Art, Los Angeles, California
2004
Domestic Arrivals, White Box, New York, New York
Drawing Conclusions 2, Rocket Projects, Miami, Florida
Assembly Required, World Arts Building, Miami, Florida
2003
Volume 3 / No. 2, Leonard Tachmes Gallery, North Miami, Florida
Made in Miami, Fredric Snitzer Gallery, Miami, Florida
Sculpture, Dorsch Gallery, Miami, Florida
Manifest Destiny, Miami Design District, Miami, Florida
2002
Arts to Nature, Miami-Dade Parks Tropical Park, Miami, Florida
No Show, Fredric Snitzer Gallery, Miami, Florida
2001
Eight Solo Shows, Carlos Betancourt Studio, Miami, Florida
The House at MOCA, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Miami, Florida
Publications
Making Miami, Frances Trombly and Bonnie Clearwater in conversation, Creative Accelerator, pg 90-93, 2023
To Weave the Sky: Textile Abstractions from the Jorge M. Pérez Collection, El Espacio 23, pg 106, 2023
Les illusions sont réelles, Illusions Are Real, Manif d’art 10—La biennale de Québec, Steven Matijcio, pg 126, MNBAQ, Masée national des beaux-arts du Québec, 2022
Change Agents: Six South Florida Artists Making Things Happen
Michelle Weinberg, Sarah Michelle Rupert, , Pg 76-83
Girls’ Club, 2018
Marking the Infinite, Contemporary Women Artists From Aboriginal Australia
From the Dennis and Debra Scholl Collection
Henry Skerritt, pg 15-16
DelMonico Books, Prestel Publishing, 2016
Frances Trombly: Paintings
Essays by Bonnie Clearwater, Jenni Sorkin, Elaine Reichek, Denise Delgado, with Forward by Michelle Weinberg
Girls’ Club, August 2011
Younger than Jesus: The Artist Directory
Posted on May 18, 2009
by Gioni Massimiliano, Laura Hoptman, Lauren Cornell
Phaidon Press, May 2009
Miami Contemporary Artists
Posted on May 1, 2007
Paul Clemence and Julie Davidow, intro by Elisa Turner
Schiffer Publishing, 2007
Grants and Residencies
2023: MIA, Miami Artist Grant, Miami-Dade County, Cultural Affairs
2022: ArtPace, San Antonio, TX
2022: MIA, Miami Artist Grant, Miami-Dade County, Cultural Affairs
2019: Oolite Arts Residency, Miami Beach, FL
2019: Hambidge Center Residency, Rabun Gap, GA
2019: Ellies, Oolite Art Grant
2010: John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Knight Arts Challenge Grant/ Girls’ Club, Ft. Lauderdale
2009: South Florida Cultural Consortium Fellowships for Visual & Media Artists, Miami-Dade County
2009: Capri Palace, Artist Residency, Anacapri, Italy
2008: Florida Department of Cultural Affairs, Individual Artist Fellowship
2007: Vermont Studio Center Residency/Grant, Johnson, Vermont
2007: Florida Department of Cultural Affairs, Artist Enhancement Grant
Bibliography
2022
Jennifer Pfaff Smith, “Imperfections Tell The Story Behind This Miami Artist’s Textiles, “ Florida. November, 2022
2021
Ade J. Omotosho, “Taut Delicacy: Frances Trombly at Emerson Dorsch,” Miami, FL. January, 2021
2018
Ollman, Leah., “Review: Ethan Cook’s Paintings are not Paintings, or are they?,” Los Angeles Times. July, 2018
Batet, Janet., “Deconstrucción: vida, política y arte en el Frost,” El Nuevo Herald, July, 2018
2017
Lost Spaces and Stories of Vizcaya. Miami, Florida. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, 2017, Page 128-133
Christy, Matthew., “Blue in the Face, Gallery Protocol, Gainesville, Florida,” Art Papers. 2017, Page 69
Tschida, Anne., “Looking for relief from digital overload? This free art show is for you,” Miami Herald. Nov. 2017
2016
Ollman, Leah., “Review: Canvas minus the painting: the label-defying art of Frances Trombly,” Los Angeles Times. March 9, 2016
2015
Sokol, Brett., “Artist-Run Gallery Finds a Home on Miami Dade College Campus,” New York Times. December 2015
Edwards, Stassa., “Two Miami Stars at Pulse Highlight Growing Visibility of Local Artists,” Miami New Times. December 2015
2014
Danielsen Jølbo, Marte, “Textures of Place interview”, Contemporary Art Stavanger, September 2014
Piske, Sandra., “Magisches Miami” H.O.M.E. magazine, Germany. November 2014
2013
Nolan, Joe, “Critical I: The Mediums Session at Zeitgeist”, Nashville Arts Magazine, September 2013
2012
Hodara, Susan., “Out of Many Themes, One Topic,” New York Times. September 21, 2012 (illustration)
2011
Knight, Christopher., “Art Reviews: Frances Trombly at Shoshana Wayne,” Los Angeles Times. November 2011 (illustration)
Albritton, Laura. “Art Reviews: Frances Trombly and Leyden Rodriguez-Casanova at The Bass Museum of Art.” Sculpture Magazine, November 2011 (illustration)
Anne Tschida. “The art of the book: Frances Trombly” Knight Arts Miami, November 2011 (illustration)
Clearwater, Bonnie; Sorkin, Jenni; Reichek, Elaine; Delgado, Denise; Weinberg, Michelle., “Frances Trombly: Paintings,” Girls’ Club, August 2011
Suarez De Jesus, Carlos., “Marry-Making,” Miami New Times, April 2011 (illustration)
Suarez De Jesus, Carlos., “Bass Museum plays old masters against new mavericks,” Miami New Times, April 2011 (illustration)
Austin,Tom., “New Bass Museum shows challenge the viewer to look — and see,” The Miami Herald, April 2011
Batet, Janet., “El hecho cotidiano como acto creativo,” El Nuevo Herald, May 2011 (illustration)
Mills, Michael., “Trompe L’oeil “Paintings” by Frances Trombly at Girls’ Club Fool the Mind and the Eye,” Broward Palm Beach New Times, January 2011 (illustration)
2009
Interview, “Jen Stark puts five questions to Frances Trombly,” Modern Painters, June 2009 (illustration)
Clutter, Tyrus., Frances Trombly & Conrad Bakker: The Value of the Overlooked,” Eye on Art, November 2009 (illustration)
Paine, Janice., “Minding the gap between art and Life.” Surface design Journal. Summer 2009, p 32-35 (illustration)
Massimiliano, Gioni; Hoptman, Laura; Cornell, Lauren. “Younger than Jesus: The Artist Directory”, Phaidon Press, May 2009, p 486. (illustration)
2008
Albritton, Laura. “Miami: Sculpture in the pleasure dome.” Sculpture Magazine. December 2008 (illustration)
Hollingworth, Thomas. “Inside the Artists Studio.” Art Basel Miami Beach Magazine. December 2008 (illustration)
“Trinkets and Treasures.” Craft Magazine, Volume 09. November 2008. (illustration)
Rhon, David. “Re-appropriating the Mundane: Frances Trombly’s “Thinking of Things,” at David Castillo Gallery.” Art Lurker and TuMiami. May 2008
Hurst, Steph. “An Artist’s Touch, Frances Trombly is Thinking of Things in latest exhibition.” Arts, Miami Sun Post. May 22, 2008. (illustration)
Feinstein, Roni. “After The Fairs.” Report from Miami, Art in America. March, 2008.
Sharkey, Alix. “The Wizard of Wynwood.” Ocean Drive. March, 2008.(illustration)
2007
Clemence, Paul. Davidow, Julie. Turner, Elisa. “Miami Contemporary Artists.” Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 2007, p 228-229. (Illustration)
Santiago, Fabiola. “Artful Who’s Who In Miami, New book is a who’s who of top Miami artists.” The Miami Herald, December 2, 2007.
Baker, Kenneth.“Soft Sculpture at Wolf.” San Francisco Chronicle. September, 2007. (Illustration)
Summers, Marya. “Art Beat.” Broward / Palm Beach New Times. February, 2007.
Kirpalani, Reshma. “Art around Town.” Society and the Arts, Boca Raton News. January, 2007. (Illustration)
Triff, Alfredo. “Drawn In / Drawn Out.” Exhibition brochure, Florida Atlantic University. January, 2007. (Illustration)
2006
Gordon, Margery. “Art Basel Miami: The City’s Best Private Collections.” Art and Auction. December, 2006. (Illustration)
Lee, Linda. “Buying Early, Buying Often.” Florida Inside Out. January/February, 2006.
Suarez de Jesus, Carlos. “Fall Crawl.” Miami New Times. September, 2006.
Turner, Elisa. “Bass Unfurls A Thoroughly Modern Exhibit Of Tapestries.” The Miami Herald. September 24, 2006.
Turner, Elisa. “Critic’s Pick.” The Miami Herald. September 15, 2006.
Suarez De Jesus, Carlos. “Something Bold, Something New.” Arts, Miami New Times. August 10, 2006.
Caruso, Carlos Bort. “Art with a Latin Beat, Miami’s art scene gets a shot of cefecito in the arm.” Dragon Fire. 2006.
Herrera, Adriana. “La Promesa Del Arte Contemporaneo Local.” El Nuevo Herald. July 16, 2006.
Weinberg, Michelle. “Native Seeds.” Exhibition catalog, Legal Art grant finalists, Art Center South Florida. June, 2006.
Triff, Alfredo. “Miami Arts Explosion.” Thompson Publishing. 2006.
Bastien, Tairone. “Frances Trombly.” Exhibition brochure. Kevin Bruk Gallery. September, 2006.
2005
Bean, Sean. “FIM Artist Showcase 05.” Florida International Magazine. October, 2005. (Illustration)
Rodriguez, Bill. “Making their ‘Mark.” The Providence Phoenix. November, 2005.
Turner, Elisa. “Reduced.” Critic’s Pick, The Miami Herald. November 4, 2005.
Norris, Doug. “‘On the Mark,’ is off the wall.” North East Independent. November, 2005.
Champa, Judith Tolnick. “On The Mark.” Exhibition brochure. November, 2005. (Illustration)
Siclen, Bill Van. “Drawing on lines of many kinds for show at URI.” The Providence Journal. November, 2005.
Arias, Nina. Diaz, Jose. “Hanging by a Thread.” Exhibition catalog, The Moore Space. 2005.
Clearwater, Bonnie. “MoCA and Miami.” Exhibition catalog, MoCA and Miami. 2005.
Salzinger, Samantha. “Reduced.” Exhibition brochure, Hollywood Art and Culture Center. 2005.
Reyes, Carlos. “Frances Trombly.” Exhibition catalog, Moti Hasson Gallery. 2005.
Wonder, Carolina. “It Makes Me Happy.” Exhibition brochure, Leonard Tachmes Gallery. 2005.
Mills, Michael. “The Anti-Sequel.” Broward/Palm Beach New Times. September 22, 2005.
Triff, Alfredo. “Loose Threads.” Miami New Times. September 22, 2005.
Turner, Elisa. “Hanging by a Thread.” Critic’s Pick, The Miami Herald. September 16, 2005.
Shabaka, Onajide. “Art and Culture Center of Hollywood.” Miami Art Exchange. 2005.
Hudspeth, K. “Trading Places.” The Next Few Hours blog. 2005.
Shabaka, Onajide. “Trading Places at MoCA.” Miami Art Exchange. 2005.
Sohn, K. Lee. “The Big Picture.” Miami New Times. August 18, 2005.
Turner, Elisa. “Makeover at MoCA.” The Miami Herald. August 14, 2005.
Suarez de Jesus, Carlos. “Homespun Art.” Miami New Times. July 28, 2005.
Einspruch, Franklin. “Frances Trombly at Leonard Tachmes.” Artblog. April, 2005.
Triff, Alfredo. “It Makes Me Happy.” Miami New Times. 2005.
Herrera, Adriana. “Artistas Trasladaran Sus Estudios A Las Galerias Del MoCA.” El Nuevo Herald. July, 2005.
Von Lates, Adrianne. “Trading Places.” Exhibition brochure. MoCA, N. Miami. August, 2005.
2004
Davis, Nicole. “The Miami School.” Artnet. September, 2004. (Illustration)
Sirgado, Miguel. “Talento Creativo De Miami En Nueva York.” El Nuevo Herald. September 19, 2004.
Suarez De Jesus, Carlos. “Triple Vision.” Miami New Times. July 22, 2004.
Weinberg, Michelle. “Triple Threat.” Miami New Times. May 6, 2004.
2003
Feinstein, Roni. ”Expanding Horizons.” Art in America. December, 2003.
Herrera, Adriana. “La Casa de Eugenio Espinoza.” El Nuevo Herald. 2003.
Turner, Elisa. “Home Front.” The Miami Herald. 2003.
Turner, Elisa. “Women are the focus at compelling shows in alternative spaces.” The Miami Herald. January 19, 2003.
2002
Damien, Carol. “Arts to Nature.” Exhibition catalog. Miami-Dade Parks/Tropical Park. 2002.
2001
Turner, Elisa. “Young artists find a temporary home at ‘The House at MoCA’.” The Miami Herald. September 9, 2001.
Espinoza, Eugenio. “The House, Museum of Contemporary Art.” Art Nexus. 2001.