Frank E. Cummings III

Frank E. Cummings III (American, born 1938)

Incorporating gemstones, precious metals, and exotic woods into his works, Frank E. Cummings III uses his skills as a craftsman and artist to create vessels and furniture. Inspired by Central and West African artisans, Cummings views his art as creating a spiritual connection between himself and his audience. While working concurrently as a professor at California State University, Long Beach, and earning an MFA from CSU Fullerton, Cummings has increased his national profile through several Los Angeles-area exhibitions, and was included in the 2003 MFA exhibiton, The Maker’s Hand.

Important Source Material:

Glass, Barbara, ed., Uncommon Beauty in Common Objects: The Legacy of African American Craft Art, Wilberforce, OH: National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, 1993.

Lauria, Jo, Oral History Interview with Frank E. Cummings, III, 2006 Dec. 28-2007 Jan. 5. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

TAL