Francesca Backhouse

Francesca graduated with a BA Hons in Illustration in 2013. Previously working within fashion and illustration inspired her to focus on her personal paintings alongside private commissions.


With her first personal painting ‘Finding Balance’ being featured by Saatchi Art in 2020 and more recently asked to contribute her specialist painting skills on an exceptional project shown at Frieze London 2023. Her surreal works are inspired by various artists; Salvador Dali, Antoni Gaudi, Yayoi Kusama, Rebecca Dautremer and Sylvain Chomet resulting in the absurd, unimaginable and impractical.

She states her aim is to:
'Find the boundary between beauty and peculiarity: the ​“Art of the Odd”.


Artists Statement:

Heavily influenced by the movements of Dadasim and Surrealism I’m inspired by the creation of impossible scenes within nonsensical circumstances. My pieces begin with a current situation, a feeling, an impression, an angle, an object - something which catches my attention. Usually i’ll end up sitting with this concept for a long time, slowly developing it, adding to it, growing it into something more study, solid. All my personal pieces end up unintentionally reflecting my emotions at the time or a specific event. I’m naturally pri...

BA Hons Illustration - Bristol UWE

Exhibitions to date:
Frieze London 2023 - Artist Assistant.
Bristol graduate degree show, Bristol 2013,
Break a Lead as part of Free Range, London 2013,
Coldharbour Gallery, Bristol 2013.

Publications to date:
Featured artist ‘Art Seen Magazine’ Autumn edition,
Featured artist Saatchi Art 'New this Week' Collection, 2020,
‘Westworld’ University newspaper: Student Showcase,
‘South of the Town’ magazine: Artist of the month,
‘Clifton Life’ Magazine: ‘Whats On’.