York University
Art Collection Online

David Gilhooly (1943–2013) was a versatile American artist known for his expertise in ceramics, sculpture, painting, printmaking, and teaching. He gained significant recognition for his series of ceramic artworks called FrogWorld, which demonstrated his exuberant sense of humor. Gilhooly spent three decades exploring a variety of witty themes, using frogs and food items as his whimsical subjects to create a collection of imaginative allegories. Through his work, he consistently and playfully poked fun at human nature, inviting viewers to embrace the delightful world he created. He was also associated with the California funk movement of the sixties and seventies. Gilhooly is believed to have played a crucial role in promoting clay as a recognized medium for fine art sculpture.

Gilhooly was born in Auburn, California, and attended the University of California, where he studied under Robert Arneson and Wayne Thiebaud. Initially majoring in biology, then anthropology, and lastly art, he obtained his BA in 1965 and completed an MA two years later. From 1967 to 1969, he taught watercolor at San Jose State University before relocating to Canada to teach at various universities. In 1975, he returned to Davis and taught there for a year. Gilhooly focused on ceramics during his time at UC and was a student and colleague of Robert Arneson.

Throughout his career, Gilhooly exhibited at various institutions, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the De Young Museum in San Francisco, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, and the San Jose Museum of Art. His works are featured in collections such as the Whitney Museum of American Art in Washington, D.C., the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Laguna Art Museum, and the San Jose Museum of Art.