# David Gilhooly artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/david-gilhooly/
Profile generated: 2026-05-08T01:24:08.456Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1943-04-15
- Death date: 2013-08-21
- Nationality: American, Canadian
- Movements: Funk art
- Common media: ceramics, sculpture, Plexiglas, printmaking, painting, collage, assemblage

## About David Gilhooly

David Gilhooly (1943–2013) was an American ceramicist, sculptor, painter, and printmaker recognized as a pioneer of the Funk art movement centered at the University of California, Davis. Born David James Gilhooly III in Auburn, California, he initially studied biology and anthropology at UC Davis before shifting to visual arts under Robert Arneson's ceramics program. Gilhooly became widely known for his FrogWorld series — an expansive, satirical body of hand-built ceramic sculptures populated by anthropomorphic frogs engaged in human activities. He also produced ceramic food sculptures, planetary forms, and later explored Plexiglas, collage, and assemblage. He held teaching positions at the University of Saskatchewan, York University in Toronto, California State University Sacramento, San Jose State, and Linfield College in Oregon. Gilhooly became a Canadian citizen in 1979 and settled in Newport, Oregon, in his later years. His active career spanned approximately 1966 to 2010.

## Common works and media

Gilhooly is best known for hand-built ceramic sculptures: frogs from his FrogWorld series (ranging from small tabletop figures to large multi-figure scenes), ceramic food items such as cakes and sandwiches, planetary forms, and anthropomorphic animal figures. He also produced screenprints, lithographs, and other editioned prints, particularly during his teaching years in Canada and California. Later works include Plexiglas sculptures, collages, and assemblages. The FrogWorld ceramics are the most iconic and most commonly encountered in auction and appraisal contexts.

## Market and appraisal context

David Gilhooly's ceramic sculptures — especially FrogWorld figures and food-themed pieces — are the most frequently traded works at auction. Valuation depends on medium, size, subject, date of execution, provenance, and condition. Early Funk-era ceramics from his UC Davis period (1960s–1970s) generally attract the strongest collector interest. Editioned prints and multiples appear regularly in the secondary market at more accessible price points. Later works in Plexiglas and collage are less common at auction. Collectors should note that no catalogue raisonné is referenced in available sources, so careful attribution review is advisable.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine researched artist identity data from library authority files, museum records, and scholarly sources with available auction records, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lot information. For David Gilhooly, identity data is drawn from the Library of Congress Name Authority File, VIAF, RKD – Netherlands Institute for Art History, and Wikidata. Market context references public auction results and documented sale history when available.

## Sources

- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n84216016
- RKD – Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/121126
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/48178530/
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5234132
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gilhooly
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500083256