Long Beach Museum of Art Continues Long Relationship with Frank Cummings

December 24, 2013, In The News

Sculptors work in bronze, cast in a furnace and pour in great heat. Like Michelangelo, they also work in marble and produce large works that stand for centuries. Or they can work, like Frank E. Cummings III, in one of the most delicate and friable of all materials: wood.

Cummings is a longtime Long Beach resident whose work has been seen more than a few times at the Long Beach Museum of Art since his first solo exhibit there in 1974. His new show at the museum, “Jeweled Harmony in Wood,” continues through Feb. 23.

The exhibit features more than 20 works, from delicately crafted bejeweled vessels to the centerpiece of the show, a remarkable tall-case clock titled “Only Time Will Tell.” All of Cummings’ vessels incorporate precious and semiprecious stones and gold, creating an amazing harmony of great beauty.

Other artists have used bronze or marble because that is their artistic heritage; Cummings uses wood the same way. The wood objects he creates often incorporate African woods and other materials to reference his ancestral heritage.

Cummings’ work has been exhibited worldwide and is held in collections including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the White House and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

“Frank Cummings’ works are simply stunning,” said Ronald Nelson, executive director of the Long Beach Museum of Art, in a recent statement. “His use of diverse woods, reflective gold and precious gems creates extraordinary pieces that make him a singular figure in the art world. We are grateful for his generosity in sharing his vision, talents and spirit with our community.”


John Farrell is a Long Beach-based freelance writer. Farrell, John (2013, December 24). Long Beach Museum of Art continues long relationship with Frank Cummings. The Press Telegram. Retrieved from Press Telegram http://www.presstelegram.com/20131224/long-beach-museum-of-art-continues-long-relationship-with-frank-cummings

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