Robert Brady

Robert Brady Description

Robert Brady combines the technical knowledge of being first a ceramicist with a quirky ability to imagine any object or shape (or even idea) as something he might incorporate into sculpture. He pivots easily from a feeling of rustic folk or outsider art (as in his piece, “The Diver,”) to a highly crafted consideration of shape (as in the “Big House Series”.) Brady’s combination of native intelligence and wry sense of humor has been capturing collectors since his earlier days with gallerist Ruth Braunstein in San Francisco.

Robert Brady was born and raised in Reno, Nevada. Upon graduation from high school he attended the California College of The Arts in Oakland, Ca. receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1969. Later he attended University of California, Davis, receiving a Masters of Fine art in 1975. Recently retired Emeritus, he served as Professor of Art from 1975-2013 at California State University, Sacramento.

Trained as a potter, Brady’s interest quickly steered toward a path of ceramic object making and sculpture, ultimately gaining national and international recognition. Approximately 24 years later, Brady, fortuitously discovered the beauty and merits of wood as a sculptural medium. Since then, Robert has produced work in both clay and wood, with an emphasis on wood. Mixed media, bronzes, works on paper and functional pottery are also part of his output.

Brady has had over 50 solo exhibits and participated in group exhibitions throughout the United States, and Europe, both in private galleries and public Museums. His works can be found in permanent collections in various galleries and museums such as The Smithsonian (Renwick), The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, and the Stedelijik Museum in Amsterdam, Holland, as well as others. Lastly, his work is found in private collections too numerous to mention.