Sunday E-dition: Frank Trozzo’s “IMAGINE THAT!” Art Show is a Fantastical Experience
By Rosemarie Kempton
YOUNTVILLE, Calif. — Anthropomorphic bears playing a game of chess. A dragon in a castle taking a bubble bath with his rubber ducky. A girl on a swing hanging from a cloud. Those are among the engaging and skillfully executed paintings in Frank Trozzo’s most recent show.
Many of these paintings, such as those from his beloved bear series and his animal alphabet series, elicit smiles on the faces of viewers, while others spark wonderment and a desire to delve deeper. An instructive audio accompanies each painting.
Many of the 40 original paintings in “IMAGINE THAT! Frank Trozzo: Images of the Universal Mind” at the Steve Rogers Gallery in Yountville reflect the artist’s whimsical sense of humor and uncanny connection to animals. Others reveal his deep interest in nature, history, science and all aspects of the human mind.
He paints with the idea that the impossible becomes possible.
“I’m a symbolist,” said Trozzo, who lives in Napa with his wife. “It’s my mission to paint images from the subconscious – archetypes, myths, metaphors and metaphysics. These are the things that appear in dreams. They deepen our understanding of the world.”
Because Trozzo never lost the intense curiosity he had as a child, he is a lifetime learner who is eager to try new things.
“Basically, I’m a wrinkled kid,” he said with a laugh.
Over the last four decades, he has been an eighth-grade teacher, a painter, goldsmith, sculptor, designer, digital artist, gallery owner, computer programmer, marketing consultant, businessman and more. Then, in 2014, a serious medical condition led him back to painting.
“I realized that life is fleeting, and I should be doing what I love to do,” he said. “Ideas that I’d been suppressing started to flow. I’ve been painting every day since then.”
Many of his paintings convey his love for animals, a love that was fostered by his parents. Talking about his childhood brought a smile to Trozzo’s face.
Born to supportive parents in Washington, D.C., Trozzo was the oldest of seven children. His parents recognized his artistic talent and encouraged him, yet he knew that his physician father hoped his son would become a doctor. He also wanted a larger family.
“My father wanted an eighth child,” Trozzo said. “My mother refused to have another child, so my father went to a pet store and bought a monkey.”
This monkey became Trozzo’s constant companion and went everywhere with him from the time he was 11 years old until he went away to college at 18.
“I grew up in a zoo environment,” he said. “My brother had 17 turtles, we had snakes, cats, dogs and the monkey. My mother was a saint to put up with all that.”
Tragedy struck his family when Trozzo was 14 years old. His father died of a rare genetic condition, but he left enough money for his seven children to go to college.
Trozzo earned a bachelor’s degree in art education from Virginia Wesleyan College. He apprenticed to John Witt at the Cross Mill Gallery in Ashland, Virginia, where he learned bronze-casting and built his own portable foundry to cast figurative works.
After college he went into a master’s program for sculpture and worked with Jim Sanborn at Glen Echo Park at the University of Maryland. During this time, while he was exhibiting and selling his sculptures and paintings, his sister was making silver jewelry. Since the process was similar, he tried it, and to his surprise every piece of jewelry he made sold quickly, so he decided to pursue it as a vocation.
He moved to the West Coast to learn goldsmithing at the California College of the Arts in Oakland. There he met the German-trained goldsmith and designer Alan Revere, who helped him find a job in the field. Next, he studied design and metal work at the Fachhochschule für Gestaltung in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany. He also worked there as a goldsmith and diamond-setter.
Coming back to California in 1979, Trozzo opened his own shop. A few years later he met his wife, and together they opened a craft gallery in San Francisco where he made fine jewelry and sculpture in addition to showing the work of other artists.
These days, his life is filled with doing his own paintings and offering help and encouragement to other artists. Trozzo is involved with Art Association Napa Valley and oversees the organization’s annual Open Studios Tour, which always takes place during the last two weekends of September.
Trozzo fluctuates between science and spiritual themes in much of his recent work. He is deeply inspired by the works of (psychologist) Carl Jung as well as many artists throughout history who, he said, “studied the inner landscape — Fuseli, Blake, Magritte and Folon.”
Aways interested in science, he finds discoveries in quantum mechanics fascinating. For example, his “Sunboat” painting is a reference to quantum entanglement that was inspired by Jung’s “The Red Book” and Leonard Shlain’s “Art & Physics.”
In the “Sunboat” painting, two people are in a boat rowing in opposite directions. In his audio recording, Trozzo goes into detail about discoveries in quantum mechanics in connection to the painting. He sums it up by stating, “Quantum theory is different from classical physics because it behaves differently, depending on the observer. The observer influences the outcome.”
“Mind Palace,” is a complex painting of elephants towing a floating building. Trozzo gives historical context to a mind palace being a method people can use to remember details in the audio accompanying the painting.
“Up Quark, Down Quark” is one of the six new paintings in Trozzo’s latest “Multiuniverse” series that he is introducing in this show. “Lester & Jack Find the Multiuniverse” is another painting in this series.
“I paint from my imagination, and I like paintings that create their own stories,” Trozzo said. “I’ve always been intrigued by science, especially the field of physics. “In this painting Lester opens the door to take Jack out for a walk and discovers multiple dimensions. Lester realizes it’s going to be hard to find a fire hydrant for the dog in another dimension.”
Another series included in this show is “People Who Inspire the World.” It pays tribute to Albert Einstein, John Muir, Frida Kahlo and a number of other significant people.
“Aria,” one of the paintings in his “Color of Music” series, is a picture of his daughter who trained as an opera singer, singing with angels flying out of her mouth.
“I’m not sure where my ideas come from,” Trozzo said. “They just pop out. If it’s a really good idea I start laughing, and if (my wife) starts laughing, too, I know it’s a really good one.”
Trozzo enjoys making art for children’s walls. While drawing a concept for something to make for a young niece, the idea of “Bad Teddy Bear Line Up,” his most popular painting, suddenly “popped up.” It convulsed him and his wife with laughter. The choice of teddy bears, objects associated with childhood and comfort, juxtaposed with the solemnity of a lineup evokes a sense of playful irony. Knowing he was onto something special, Trozzo worked on developing his brushwork to make plush fur for four teddy bears in his painting.
What did they do to get arrested?
“It was hard to explain what the teddy bears did to get arrested,” Trozzo said. “So, I guess this is what happened: Pip, Zelda, Mooch and Markie stayed up way past their bedtime, and they were picked up by the bear police. Pip, the smallest one, is the ringleader. He has a Napoleon complex, and he is able to get away with anything. Zelda and Markie are siblings who follow Pip. Mooch is the muscle of the gang.”
Realistic — not stuffed — animals are stars of Trozzo’s animal alphabet series. Paintings such as “M is for Monkey” are so popular with kindergarten teachers that many of them have urged him to put this series into a book. He successfully paired each letter of the alphabet with an appropriate animal but had trouble with the letters N and X.
The amazing paintings and audio recordings in this show make it well worth a visit to the Steve Rogers Gallery in Yountville. The exhibit runs through Sept. 29. Trozzo’s work can also be seen the last two weekends of September during Open Studios at the Yountville Community Center plaza.
For information about “IMAGINE THAT! Frank Trozzo: Images of the Universal Mind,” go to their website or call (707) 944-8712.
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Rosemarie Kempton is a Napa Valley-based journalist.
Levity Corner
Caption contest: Pick your favorite caption or add your own in the comments below.
Possible captions:
"The multiverse looks great, but is there coffee?"
"I really hope this dimension has better Wi-Fi."
"Is this where I find myself… or lose myself?"
"Somewhere in here, I left my other sock."
"It’s all fun and games until the clocks start melting."
Last week’s winner
In "Sunday E-dition: Napa Valley's Cheese and Crust — A Family’s Journey,” the winning caption was "Taking 'thinking outside the box' to new heights,” with 56% of the votes.
"There’s always one in the flock who takes 'winging it' too literally."
"Some birds just see things a little differently."
"Taking 'thinking outside the box' to new heights."
“No one said the journey had to be boring.”
“Every flock has that one bird.”
Last Week
Tim Carl shared the story of Cheese and Crust in "Napa Valley's Cheese and Crust — A Family’s Journey." Operated by Efren Barrera and his wife Maria Vera, the mobile pizzeria has gained popularity at Napa Valley farmers markets for its authentic wood-fired pizzas. Originally from Mexico, the couple used their extensive culinary experience to build their business, focusing on quality and traditional techniques. Their menu includes pizzas and pastas inspired by their children, reflecting their family-centered approach. Looking ahead, Barrera and Vera hope to one day open a brick-and-mortar restaurant.
Dan Berger reflected on the challenges and nuances of assessing wine in "The Imperfect Palate," Drawing from decades of experience, he recounted moments where environmental factors, personal conditions and even glassware affected his wine evaluations, emphasizing that no taster is immune to error. He discussed how variables like the order of wines and the taster’s familiarity with a winemaker can influence judgments. Berger also highlighted the difficulties of evaluating extremely young wines and the importance of understanding a wine’s aging potential.
Cindy Watter previewed the upcoming 4th Annual Fall Faire in her article, "Come Learn and Have Fun at the Fall Faire." Hosted by the U.C. Master Gardeners of Napa County, the event will take place on Sept. 28, featuring hands-on demonstrations, workshops and activities for children. Visitors can enjoy live music, vote in a scarecrow contest and learn about sustainable gardening practices. The event also includes giveaways of seeds, plants and gardening books. The Faire offers an opportunity for both seasoned and beginner gardeners to learn and engage with experts in the field.
In a new series from Napa Climate NOW! for Napa Valley Features, Chris Benz highlighted the achievements of Allison Bencsik in "Meet a Home-Grown Student Climate Activist." Bencsik, an 18-year-old graduate of American Canyon High School, was recognized by the Napa County Board of Supervisors for her leadership as co-president of Napa Schools for Climate Action. Since her sophomore year, Bencsik led climate advocacy efforts, including organizing a student rally for the Napa County Climate Challenge and speaking at local government meetings. Her work also earned her an internship with Rep. Mike Thompson and a position on the City of American Canyon’s sustainability commission.
Evy Warshawski introduced Amplifi Napa Valley in "Amplifi Napa Valley: A New Fund for Performing Arts," detailing the nonprofit’s mission to support local live performances and cultural experiences. Formed from the Napa Valley Opera House's transition and guided by a $4.2 million donation from John and Michele Truchard, Amplifi has already distributed $160,000 in grants. Recent funds include a $950,000 gift from the Belle and Barney Rhodes estate to encourage youth musical education. Amplifi seeks to grow its endowment to sustainably support artists and organizations in Napa Valley.
Tim Carl explored the impact of recent bankruptcies and slowing consumer demand on Napa Valley wine grape growers in "Under the Hood: Napa Valley 2024 Has High Quality but Low Demand." Many growers are facing the difficult decision to leave their grapes unharvested as they struggle to find new buyers. This downturn in the market has created uncertainty for vineyard owners, who are now grappling with financial challenges and the potential loss of their crops.
Next Week
Next week we have more interesting articles from a host of Napa Valley Features contributors. The Master Gardener series on Wednesday will provide gardening insights, while Dan Berger will focus on wine topics Thursday. Sasha Paulsen will explore the Napa Women’s Club’s 76th anniversary, and Tim Carl will discuss how the Napa Valley brand might better serve the community. Napa Climate NOW! will share insights on the impact of climate change on Napa Valley, and Swan Day will cover Napa’s Terry Family Band, which is collaborating with a chamber orchestra for its season opener in the Weekender Encore. Plus much more.
I enjoyed this article about Frank Trozzo. What an interesting person! Rose Kempton did an excellent job in describing and capturing his vivid imagination!
Thanks for the introduction to Trozzo’s creative art. I plan to visit his Yountville show…perhaps both of them!