Kenneth Ken Price (American, 1935-2012), Japanese Tree Frog Cup, 1968, Color Lithograph

Kenneth "Ken" Price (American, 1935–2012) was a Los Angeles-born artist who helped establish ceramics as a serious form of contemporary sculpture. After earning his BFA from the University of Southern California, he studied with Peter Voulkos at the Otis Art Institute and completed an MFA at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. While Voulkos favored large, forcefully worked clay, Price concentrated on intimate cups. Price worked with Tamarind during the 1960s and later collaborated extensively with Gemini G.E.L. His work is held by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, National Gallery of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Japanese Tree Frog Cup, 1968, color lithograph on Rives BFK paper. A vivid blue field contains a white-reserve pattern of branching foliage, with a mottled reddish-orange frog at center supporting a deep violet cup and a bright green eye providing a small point of contrasting color. Printed by Manuel Fuentes and published by the Tamarind Lithography Workshop, Los Angeles; the standard edition was 20. This example is a Tamarind impression, retained by the workshop outside the numbered edition, and is inscribed in graphite on the verso “TAM. IMP. ‘JAPANESE TREE FROG CUP’ PRICE ’68,” with “2491 / Rives BFK” at lower left. Tamarind and printer blindstamps appear along the lower margin. Sheet measures approximately 25 x 17.25 inches; Image measures approximately 17x13. The sheet shows light handling and toning with two old tape remnants at the upper verso; image presents well. Provenance of Martin and Enid Gleich.

Condition
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Dimensions
25 x 17.25 in