Manhattan Beach’s Frank Matranga remembered for skill as potter
Artist Frank Matranga at work in an undated photo. Photo courtesy of Casey Matranga Last month, Frank Matranga, a renowned potter and longtime Manhattan Beach resident, passed away from leukemia. He was 83. His house and studio, which he bought in 1970 and remodeled, are visible on the corner of Ardmore and 2nd Street. The property stands out with murals on the sides and statues out front created by Matranga. “The whole house reflected him,” said Manhattan Beach resident Jan Dennis, who collects his work. “When people asked me what kind of architecture it is, I’d say, ‘It’s Frank Matranga’s architecture.’” The Manhattan Beach Conservancy, which Dennis used to chair, named it a historic landmark. When the Matranga studio had a sale, people would stop by, sometimes just to look, according to his wife Casey. Matranga didn’t mind, she said. “It didn’t make any difference it they were going to purchase anything,” said Casey. “They just had the curiosity to see his work. That’s all he wanted.” Frank was born in Alhambra, California. His father and his mother’s parents were from Sicily. He originally wanted to be an architect. But when he was offered a job as an art teacher that included…
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