Ian Franks
BIO
Ian Franks is originally from New York where he worked as an actor before moving to Canada to be with his partner. In Canada is where he first started taking his painting seriously working first as a watercolor portrait painter and eventually developing a stronger voice as a figurative painter specializing mostly in acrylic.
Having not received any formal training as a painter, the passion to create has been deeply rooted in his love of history, storytelling, and drama as well as having the opportunity to grow up near some of the greatest fine art institutions in the world.
Ian has shown a few times here at the Tri-Art Gallery, most notably in the recent Salon Des Refusés, as well as last year’s Show of Smalls. Being fairly new to showing work he is thrilled to be showing in such a skilled and achieved company of artists.
Artist Statement
Working primarily in acrylic and watercolour, Ian does his best to fling a painting as far over the top as good and/or questionable taste will allow. This painting has proved a great challenge in how to play with form.
By painting figures in layers of liquid glass with white the depth of figure is created as one moves around the piece. The intention was to create something akin to a classical frieze or a finely carved cameo; what has come out of this was something entirely different with a highly reflective background emphasizing depth via genuine light and shadow.
