A painter, muralist, lithographer, set designer, decorative artist, and ceramist, Herman Volz was born in Zürich, Switzerland. He trained first with his grandfather, a master craftsman, and then at the Art und Gewerbescule in Zürich and the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. After his training he traveled in Europe and Africa, and his paintings began to be recognized with awards in European exhibitions.
Immigrating to the U.S. in 1933, he settled in the San Francisco Bay Area and became a citizen in 1938. During the Depression, Volz was appointed to the position of supervisor for the Northern California Art Project and supervisor for the Federal Building mural project at the Golden Gate International Exposition. Two large mosaic panels, created during the World's Fair, were installed at the San Francisco City College in the 1940s. Volz also designed sets for MGM and Paramount Studios. He was politically active and often made social statements through his imagery.
