When Toads Fly

Frank Fleming (1940-2018)

Porcelain

18.5 in x 8 in x 7 in

Step into a world of imagination with this whimsical sculpture by Frank Fleming. Renowned for his enchanting creations that blend folklore, fantasy, and the animal kingdom, Fleming invites viewers to rediscover the wonder of childhood through his playful ceramic forms.

Featuring a friendly flying toad as its unlikely hero, this delightful work is full of personality, movement, and charm. Whether displayed indoors or nestled in a garden, it brings a touch of magic, storytelling, and joy to any space-an irresistible piece for collectors and dreamers alike.

Artist Biography

Frank Fleming graduated from Florence State College in 1962 and would go on to earn his Master of Arts (1969) and Master of Fine Arts (1973) from the University of Alabama. Unable to find a teaching job, Fleming put aside his teaching ambitions and moved to Birmingham where he began making functional and decorative pottery, continuing his sculptural work on the side.

Fleming preferred to work in porcelain, particularly Tennessee porcelain, but also tried bronze casting-like his work surrounding the Till Fountain. His ceramic pieces were entirely hand-built, and he rarely created conceptual sketches of his works before he began, preferring to watch his compositions evolve as he worked. During his time at Florence State College, Fleming used paints and colored glazes but switched to clear glaze over plain white porcelain when he began to produce pottery professionally. Eventually, he came to leave the surfaces of his works unglazed to make surface textures more palpable and immediate to the viewer.

Fleming's sculptures are notable for their extreme veracity of detail which makes them highly realistic. The disjunction between the careful detailing and colorless surfaces of his works, however, lends a bizarre, and many times surreal, atmosphere to his pieces. Most of Fleming's works center around anthropomorphized animals, human-animal hybrids, and other organic hybrids. Humor is a common undercurrent in many of his works which is sometimes ironic, sometimes whimsical, and sometimes directed at Southern culture.

In addition to being an outstanding and creative talent in our state, Frank Fleming was a good friend to the Museum. He consistently supported the Museum's Art Auction fundraisers, and he was generous with his time in working with our educators and docents. In addition to the Till Fountain, the Museum holds four other works by Fleming, including two porcelain sculptures that demonstrate his amazing facility in the use of clay.

This piece was donated by the Family of Marge and Phil Kalodner.

• All winning bids are paid in full before artwork leaves The Clay Studio.
• Winning Bids are automatically billed at the close of the Auction at 12:00 pm on September 27th 2026.
• Shipping is NOT included in the winning bid.
• Items can be packed and shipped, and the winner will pay the cost.
• Items can be picked up at The Clay Studio for no additional cost.
• Items with alcohol CANNOT be shipped.