SABRINA FREY

ARTIST BIO

Sabrina Frey’s artistic journey is shaped by nature, craftsmanship, and a late but passionate return to art. Born in San Jose, California, and raised in Colorado’s mountains, Frey’s childhood was filled with outdoor adventures and creative play. Influenced by a family of makers, she developed an early love for hands-on creation. After earning degrees in graphics, marketing, and interior design, and spending over a decade in the architecture field and teaching, she embraced her true passion for art professionally in 2019.

Frey’s work is distinguished by her unique use of beads. Rather than traditional stringing, she allows beads to interact freely, creating durable, tactile mosaics that resemble living, interconnected forms. Nature inspires her subjects and colors, with pieces reflecting seasons, animals, and landscapes. Her creative process begins with an image that evolves through extensive experimentation with materials and design.

Notable works include “Spark the Eagle,” a challenging piece that became emblematic of her style, and a recent seven-foot triptych of ocean life showcasing waves, fish, and coral. Frey’s art has earned numerous honors, including “Best of Show” at prominent festivals and exhibitions at galleries and museums nationwide.

Her influences range from Antoni Gaudí to Ran Hwang, as well as the students and peers she encountered as an educator. Committed to community and education, Frey teaches bead mosaic workshops to share her craft and inspire others.

Viewers often remark on the vibrant color, texture, and light in her work, which Frey sees as a celebration of happiness and connection to nature. When not in her studio, she travels and hikes, continually drawing inspiration from the world around her.

For Sabrina Frey, each bead is a unique element that gains meaning through its relationship to the whole—just as her artistic journey weaves together diverse experiences into a unified creative expression.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I draw inspiration from the intricate patterns and textures found in both natural landscapes and the animal world. Whether capturing the delicate veins of a leaf, the rugged contours of a mountain range, or the expressive features of an animal, each subject holds a unique story that I interpret through the vibrant and tactile medium of beads. Both my landscape and animal pieces aim to evoke a sense of connection and wonder toward the environment that surrounds us.

My choice of subjects is guided by an emotional response to the beauty and complexity of nature, paired with an intuitive sense that these stories will resonate with others. Using a rich palette of colors and a variety of bead textures, I work to translate these moments into detailed, visually compelling mosaics that invite closer examination and reflection.

The process involves carefully placing thousands of beads, each chosen for its color and texture, to assemble a cohesive and intricate mosaic. My work resembles assembling a puzzle where every bead contributes to a harmonious and dynamic composition. What sets my art apart is a strong dedication to craftsmanship and a belief in the transformative power of beadwork—elevating beads beyond traditional jewelry-making into substantial and meaningful art forms.

Through my bead mosaics of landscapes and animals, I hope to inspire viewers to appreciate beads as a versatile artistic medium and to recognize the endless creative possibilities they offer. Ultimately, my goal is to foster a deeper appreciation for the natural world and its stories, expressed through the enduring and vibrant language of beads.