Gilbert Duran (San Antonio, Texas, 1947-2023) clam shell grotto mosaic, plaster mold, lined with iridescent ceramic tile shards, fixed to wooden board, maquette from his design collaboration with Carlos Cortes (San Antonio, Texas, b. 20th century) for a faux bois grotto installation on the San Antonio, Texas Riverwalk height 12.5 in. x width 19 in. x depth 9 in. Provenance: Property from the Southtown San Antonio, Texas studio of noted artist Gilbert Duran Gilbert Duran (1947-2023) was a celebrated artist first known for his watercolor renditions of South Texas wildlife and Texas ranch scenes, and later for vivid oil paintings of South Texas and Latin themes, most famously depicting Frida Kahlo holding a margarita ('Frida Margarita'), an image which has been widely copied and displayed throughout Texas and beyond. Duran worked for many years out of his Southtown San Antonio, Texas live / work studio, Duran Arte, producing strikingly original canvases as well as sculpture and commissioned work. Many of Duran's key works were displayed in prominent San Antonio restaurants including Rosario's and Soluna, and have been shown at the Smithsonian Museo Alameda, and added to private collections including that of Guadalupe Rivera Marin, daughter of Kahlo’s husband Diego Rivera. Duran's impressive legacy as one of San Antonio's outstanding artists continues to grow as pieces begin to come to market at auction houses and galleries throughout the Southwest.