Frank Spink: Watercolorist & Ceramicist
Frank paints both realism and abstraction in watercolor and acrylic. Born in Chicago in 1935. Studied Architecture at the University of Illinois and, as it had a Beaux Arts tradition, acquired the equivalent of a minor in art along with his Bachelor of Architecture degree (1953-1959). Then received a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Washington in Seattle (1963). Served in the US Navy as an Officer in Charge of Construction at the US Naval Weapons Facility, Concord California, (1960-1962), located in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
As a professional urban planner he held positions in Bellevue, Washington and in Fremont, California And, as Planning Director in Pleasanton, California
While living in Northern California he was a member of the Society of Western Artists and President of the Fremont Art Association. His paintings were shown all over Northern California including San Francisco's DeYoung Museum, the Dedication Festival art exhibition at the restored Palace of Fine Arts and in the Jack London Square Festival.
1967 he was recruited by the ULI-the Urban Land Institute in Washington DC where he held various positions over 30 years and retired in 1997 as Vice President and Publisher. Followed by serving 2 years as the International President for Lambda Alpha International Land Economics Society. In 1998 formed the Spink Consultancy providing professional advice and consultant services.
Residing in Northern Virginia, adjacent to Washington, DC, from 1967 to the present he became active in regional art associations as a member and president of the Potomac Valley Watercolorists and as Artist Member and Board Member of the Virginia Watercolor Society. He has won Best of Show with both of these organizations. Another award from the Virginia Watercolor society, included a one-man show at the Art Depot in Abington, Virginia.
He also member of the national Sumi-e Society of America since 1971, winning Best of Show and other awards numerous times and serving as Treasurer and First Vice President. A Sumi-e style seascape was his first award in this style, given by the founder of the society Motoi Oi in 1977 and incidentally, another seascape took the Shiubi Award in 2006 at the Sumi-e Society 43rd exhibition. Both were in his own American Sumi-e style he has developed as a bridge between East Asian and Western styles and materials.
Frank has been listed in Who's Who in American Art since 1976. As well as Who’s Who in America in 1997.
In 1998 he renewed an interest in ceramics, drawing on his art and design background to wheel throw and handbuild pottery as art. His work relies on free style carving and glaze application to bring individuality to each piece of pottery. In 2008 Frank received a first award for his pottery, and a Best of Show in 2012.
Frank's paintings are in several corporate collections including Giant Food, Virginia Bankshares, and Benihana of Tokyo, St. John's University and in numerous private collections across the country, in Canada, Europe and Asia. His pottery owners are scattered throughout the US with pieces also in Great Britain and Thailand.