Nature and the body are Leslie Fry’s subject, studio and material. She creates in a lush Vermont garden where her sculptures of guardian sphinxes and flying bird-women live amidst lilacs, songbirds, raspberries, and mint. Working with centuries-old sculpting processes, she models hybrid bodies out of clay and wax, then casts in bronze or concrete. Rooted in ancient world mythologies, Fry’s figures morph with animal, architecture, and plant life. Bronze bird-women wear sneakers and boots; a ceramic daisy becomes an eye; an Ionic column and Empire-style gown merge fluidly into solid concrete. Her drawings, ephemeral installations with plants, and permanent public sculptures evoke splendor and ruins from imaginary realms.

Leslie Fry is a U.S./Canada dual citizen whose childhood took place within Montreal’s historic architecture and a Vermont mountain village. Among numerous honors and fellowships are Yaddo, Pollock-Krasner, Kohler Arts/Industry, and the Vermont Governor’s Award for Excellence. Permanent public sculptures include the beloved Colossal Acorn Head at Tufts University. Fry’s drawings and sculptures have been exhibited and collected internationally; venues ranging from a French chateau to a Florida nature trail to a South Korean sculpture park.