Michael Frimkess (USA)

These are a couple of pieces by Michael Frimkess, a California (U.S.) potter who studied with Peter Voulkos at the Otis Art Institute in the 1950's. Frimkess was only 14 years old at the time. He is still alive, but has been unable to make much pottery lately because he has suffered with Muscular Dystrophy for over 10 years. He was able to throw large stoneware pots that are eggshell thin; he used very dry hard clay and used gloves with steel tips to throw. The larger piece is about 15 inches tall, and is decorated with a "L'il Abner" Comic Strip. The smaller piece is about 8 inches wide and made after the form of a Zuni "olla" (American Southwest Pueblo Indian). It is also decorated with comic strip characters (Olive Oyl and Dick Tracy). The pots were decorated by his wife Magdalena. These are marked with the stamped cypher "MJF" though he often marked things with a brush printed "Frimkess". He is very highly regarded. I was lucky enough to meet him and purchased these from him at his studio a few years ago.
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This is a mark from one of the pictured pieces. It is a conjoined MJF (Michael J. Frimkess). He also sometimes signed printed with a brush in oxide: "Frimkess", sometimes with a date. It is possible he also used other signatures.

Here is a recent acquisition by Michael and Magdalena Frimkess; a cylinder vase 9 1/4 inches tall and 4 inches wide, thrown extremely thin (1/8 inch walls) by Michael and decorated with putti and doves by Magdalena. This piece has a different version of their signature than the previously shown stamped cypher.

Here are a few pieces produced by Magdalena Frimkess. They are hand formed. She signs her pieces "Magdalena" [with a year date].
The first piece is a tile with a typically appropriated image of Minnie Mouse. The second is a shallow bowl with a naive, child like drawing of the canal area of Venice California. The third piece is a bowl with a masked armadillo and pattern derived from Mimbres pottery (prehistoric Native American).The last piece is a sculpture of a horse (about 10 inches long).

Here are two more pieces made by Michael and decorated by Magdalena. The smaller is covered with a whimsical fish motif. The larger piece is truly remarkable; it shows typical Frimkess contrast of form and decoration, being in the form of an American Southwest Pueblo (Zuni) olla, and decorated with an Asian dragon. It is wheel thrown, approximately 18 inches high and 21 inches wide with remarkably thin walls.