Fromboluti’s compositions posit unresolved narratives. Hinting at the macabre, they are populated by animal skeletons, desiccated flowers, bugs, discarded oyster shells, the delicate carcass of a small bird; yet she also strikes a blithe note with verdant flora, a string of pearls, and even a box of chocolates. Fromboluti elevates her work to a new level, as she invites the outside in, choosing dramatic skyscapes as the backdrop to these exquisitely painted still lifes. These skyscapes are painted with a looser hand, conveying movement. Foreboding clouds brood beyond what appears to be a mantelpiece, lending a sense of fragility to the objects, as one imagines they may be swept from their perch by a strong gust. The dramatic impact of the work is heightened by a long horizontal support, inferring a monumental landscape with a wide, uninterrupted horizon line. Perhaps the most theatrical piece is the 22” x 120” diptych Summer Dreaming. A dark, mysterious night sky reveals a glimpse of the full moon, illuminating two roses lying on the mantelpiece, one yellow and one pink, which appear to have been abandoned, the residue of a romantic encounter.

Iona Fromboluti was born in New York City, and is an alumnus of the Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia. She has had solo exhibitions at Denise Bibro Fine Art, NYC; the More Gallery and Gross McCleaf Galleries in Philadelphia, PA; and the Vose Gallery, Boston, MA. Her work has been included in several group exhibitions including Smith College, Northampton, MA; Hofstra University, Long Island, NY; The National Academy of Design, NYC; the Southern Allegheny Museum, Loretto, PA; Marymount College, NYC; and the Philadelphia Academy, Philadelphia, PA. Her public collections include the Butler Institute, Youngstown, Ohio, the Asheville Art Museum in North Carolina, and the Pew Charitable Trust Collection, Philadelphia, PA. She teaches at Pratt Institute and has been featured in numerous publications including The Philadelphia Inquirer and Art in America.