Frimkess, Michael, 1937-

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Michael Frimkess, ceramist; Venice, Calif. b. 1937. Magdalena Frimkess, ceramist; Venice, Calif. Paul J. Karlstrom, director West Coast Resource Center, Archives of American Art, San Marino, Calif.

Michael Frimkess was a leading innovator of the California fine art clay movement that grew up around Peter Voulkos and his "pot shop" at the Otis Art Institute. An element that distinguished the vessels that made Michael Frimkess<U+2019>s reputation was the surface decoration based on popular culture and a Pop Art sensibility. This signature style, consisting of small figures mimicking classical or pre-Columbian friezes, was further developed by Frimkess<U+2019>s wife Magdalena (Suarez Frimkess) who eventually, as Michael<U+2019>s multiple sclerosis progressed, did most of the painting of the vessels.

Magdalena was born in Venezuela and was sent to an orphanage at age 7, when her mother died and her father was unable to support her. Later she moved to Chile where her two children were born. When she was offered a fellowship to the Clay Art Center in New York her companion told her she would have to choose between that and him and the children. She reluctantly chose art, but kept up with her offspring who eventually moved to California. Her sculpture career was to a large extent subsumed after she met and married Michael Frimkess.

From the description of Oral history interview with Michael and Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, 2001 Mar. 8, 22, Apr. 17 [sound recording]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 78293298

Michael Frimkess (1937- ) is a ceramist from Venice, Calif. Magdalena Frimkess is a ceramist from Venice, Calif. Paul J. Karlstrom is the director of the West Coast Resource Center, Archives of American Art, San Marino, Calif.

Michael Frimkess was a leading innovator of the California fine art clay movement that grew up around Peter Voulkos and his "pot shop" at the Otis Art Institute. An element that distinguished the vessels that made Michael Frimkess's reputation was the surface decoration based on popular culture and a Pop Art sensibility. This signature style, consisting of small figures mimicking classical or pre-Columbian friezes, was further developed by Frimkess's wife Magdalena (Suarez Frimkess) who eventually, as Michael's multiple sclerosis progressed, did most of the painting of the vessels.

Magdalena was born in Venezuela and was sent to an orphanage at age 7, when her mother died and her father was unable to support her. Later she moved to Chile where her two children were born. When she was offered a fellowship to the Clay Art Center in New York her companion told her she would have to choose between that and him and the children. She reluctantly chose art, but kept up with her offspring who eventually moved to California. Her sculpture career was to a large extent subsumed after she met and married Michael Frimkess.

From the description of Oral history interview with Michael and Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, 2001 Mar. 8-Apr. 17 [sound recording]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 646401477

Michael Frimkess, ceramist; Venice, Calif. b. 1937. Magdalena Frimkess, ceramist; Venice, Calif. Paul J. Karlstrom, director West Coast Resource Center, Archives of American Art, San Marino, Calif.

Michael Frimkess was a leading innovator of the California fine art clay movement that grew up around Peter Voulkos and his "pot shop" at the Otis Art Institute. An element that distinguished the vessels that made Michael Frimkess<U+2019>s reputation was the surface decoration based on popular culture and a Pop Art sensibility. This signature style, consisting of small figures mimicking classical or pre-Columbian friezes, was further developed by Frimkess<U+2019>s wife Magdalena (Suarez Frimkess) who eventually, as Michael<U+2019>s multiple sclerosis progressed, did most of the painting of the vessels.

Magdalena was born in Venezuela and was sent to an orphanage at age 7, when her mother died and her father was unable to support her. Later she moved to Chile where her two children were born. When she was offered a fellowship to the Clay Art Center in New York her companion told her she would have to choose between that and him and the children. She reluctantly chose art, but kept up with her offspring who eventually moved to California. Her sculpture career was to a large extent subsumed after she met and married Michael Frimkess.

From the description of Oral history interview with Michael and Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, 2001 Mar. 8, 22, Apr. 17 [sound recording]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 458413921

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Frimkess, Magdalena and Michael : [miscellaneous ephemeral material]. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas J. Watson Library
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Oral history interview with Michael and Magdalena Suarez Frimkess Archives of American Art
referencedIn Oral history interview with Michael, Magdalena, and Celia Frimkess Archives of American Art
Relation Name
associatedWith Clay Art Center corporateBody
associatedWith Clay Art Center corporateBody
associatedWith Clay Art Center corporateBody
associatedWith Frimkess, Magdalena Suarez, person
associatedWith Karlstrom, Paul J., person
associatedWith Mills, Magdalene, person
associatedWith Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America. corporateBody
associatedWith Otis Art Institute corporateBody
associatedWith Rosen, Clara. person
associatedWith University of California, Berkeley. Dept. of Art corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, Berkeley. Dept. of Art corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, Berkeley. Dept. of Art corporateBody
associatedWith Voulkos, Peter, 1924- person
Place Name Admin Code Country
California
Chile
California
United States
United States
Chile
United States
Chile
California
Subject
Art
Ceramicists
Decorative art
Potters
Pottery
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1937

Male

Americans

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