April Afternoon Painting

Member of the International Guild Of Realism. Inducted into the Grumbacher Artists Hall Of Fame. ARTIST STATEMENT "My paintings spring from a life long involvement with the wilderness areas of Northern New England and more recently, in Northern California. From an early age, I combined my passion for the wilds of nature with my art. This passion has greatly influenced the academic and professional directions I have taken in life, including where I chose to make my home, most recently in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Northern California. When hiking and rock climbing in the high country, I look for the immense power and drama inherent in the untamed landscape. That is what I seek to portray in my art. Clouds have always intrigued me with their contribution to the spiritual and emotional impact of a wilderness scene and I try to incorporate those values in my paintings. In my work, you will not find not much man made impact on the landscape, other than a hiking trail or back country road. I have always sought to capture the unspoiled and pristine vistas that are rapidly vanishing in our world. Throughout my career, I have made a conscious choice to paint wild, beautiful, natural, and inspiring landscapes instead of the "dark themes" that I see so often in exhibitions of "cutting edge" art. I take pride in the craftsmanship of my art as well, using only the finest archival materials in the paintings and in the framing." A full time professional artist since 1971, Frank's formal art education took place at the School of Practical Art and the Art Institute of Boston where he majored in Editorial Illustration and minored in Photography. He continued his fine art education with further studies under Marko Lolo Marchi and Steven Yankopolis. Over the years, the artist has won many awards for his paintings and sculptures. In February 2010 he was awarded First Place and an Honorable Mention for two entries in the Turner Colour Works of Japan International Gouache Painting Competition. In September of 2005 he was awarded by the City of Chico California, the COBA (Chico Outdoor Board Art) Peoples Choice Award and a commission for a large outdoor mural. Twice, by invitation, he exhibited in the New York State Museum, and has also been featured in art galleries in Canada, New England, Virginia, North Carolina and California as well as in Zurich and Geneva, Switzerland.