Michael Frimkess

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.