Studying sculpting at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the early 1970s with Allan Houser, he is known for his idealized figures. He works primarily in stone--alabaster, marble and statite --but also has bronze editions.

Native Pueblo sculptor, Cliff Fragua, has learned the secret of the stone through his cultural and ancestral teachings. Based in Native American themes, his work shows pride for his culture and a deep understanding of the inherent spirituality of the stone. He has chosen stone as his medium of expression because it is a combination of the basic elements of the earth. He feels that the honesty and purity of this most basic of material permits him to express himself from the heart and to express the spirit that Native people respect and revere as embodied in the stone.

Since 1974, when he created his first stone sculpture, Fragua has created a significant body of work that keeps evolving with the artist’s new influences and new interests. His sculptures are featured in such public locations as the Albuquerque International Airport and in permanent collections throughout the country. He has been included in major invitational exhibitions and one-man shows in leading museums and galleries and has earned highest honors and awards for his sculptures.

EDUCATION:
•Pietrasanta Stone Workshop - Pietrasanta, Italy, 1987
•San Francisco Art Institute - San Francisco, California, 1974
•Institute of American Indian Arts - Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1973-1975



Source:
From the artist’s website