Kay Mallek
aka. Catherine Mallek Riess – Tucson, Arizona, United States
Born in 1912 and died in 2001.
Kay Mallek Studios began in 1947, manufacturing and decorating souvenir pieces. Mallek’s wares drew on a number of concepts, including desert animals and cacti, Mimbres Indian designs, and a series of Christmas plates with native motifs.
She also did limited commission work.
Kay Mallek was her maiden name and the name she went by for her artwork. She came to Tucson in 1931 to study art at the University of Arizona. She was a huge part of the Tucson art community for many years until her death.
She also started a Midtown Tucson art and antique gallery, Kay Mallek Gallery, in the 1950s, and it prospered for decades at 3859 E. Grant Road. She had the reputation in later years of being the Grand Dame of Antiques.
