About Me

Artist Statement

Through my paintings, I seek to explore the relationships between visual expression, poetry, experience and philosophy.  With a dynamic use of colour, composition and form, combined with the use of found objects or text in my work, I seek not only to translate my studies into the visual aesthetic; but to also challenge the viewer's interpretations or understandings of not only my semi-abstract expressionist pieces; but also the very life experiences, philosophies or ideas that have inspired the paintings themselves.

I enjoy the physicality of painting; and I have a passion for colour.  To create the first layers of any piece, I experiment with various textures, strokes, mediums and techniques.  I often write down excerpts, passages or quotes from something that has inspired the painting.  Or, I may write my own thoughts and reflections directly on the canvas about what I aspire to convey or express in the piece.  At which point, I then alter my approach from a spontaneous and free progression, to a more calculated and deliberate manner.  In other words, once I have chosen my colour scheme, I focus on composition and design.  I begin the process of aesthetically editing the chaos beneath, and building up the layers for what will lie at the forefront.  This way, the final image brings attention not only to what has been added to the painting, but also to what has been taken away.  And it is through this careful balance of freedom and form that I hope to inspire an emotional response in the viewer.

In my most recent series of work, I have focused on two main subjects: “Camels” and “Flowers”.  The first represents the affection I have grown towards living in the Gulf; while the second addresses the universal nostalgia of missing home.  But it is the third theme of “Grass” (which began in 2006) that is my most personal; as it reflects an on-going exploration of self and change.  As disjointed as these topics may seem, they do again echo the balance I strive to achieve in my work: focusing both on what has been added, and what has been taken away.   

Biography

Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Cecilia Francisco is a painter whose travels have brought her to Doha, Qatar.

After two years of Honours Genetics & Cell Development at the University of British Columbia, she realized this was not where her passions lay.  So, after a lifetime of "dabbling", she took the first plunge into the world as a professional artist at her premiere solo art exhibition at the R'itz Gallery in New Westminster, Canada in 1995.

Two years later, while traveling in South East Asia, she volunteered as an art teacher at the Lingap Centre for Street Children in Manila, Philippines.  Her experiences in her ancestral homeland over the next six months awakened an artistic breakthrough and inspired a series of work which were exhibited in 1998 at a Vancouver Cultural Center upon her return home to Canada.  She continued her travels and her studies at the Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design before re-emerging with another solo exhibition in 2005, in Yaletown, Vancouver. 

Cecilia has been based in the Gulf since 2006.  Her art has begun to incorporate themes inspired by Gulf lifestyle and landscape, fused with the more vibrant abstract nature themes of her earlier work. 

In May, 2007, she was invited to join an international group exhibition with artists from Lebanon, Iraq, Germany, Italy and the United States at Education City in Doha.  Her work was featured in the  Qatar Tribune and she was interviewed by Al Jazeera television.

 

Another group show in Doha was well-received in early 2008, before Cecilia took a short hiatus, to celebrate the birth of her first child in August of that year.

Cecilia has now returned to the studio and is further pursuing her passion and her career.

Thanks so much for visiting my longlifestories blog.  I hope you've enjoyed this behind-the-scenes peek at my work.

If you'd like to see more of my work, please visit my website at www.ceciliafrancisco.com, join my Facebook page or follow me on Twitter.

You can also contact me at fine-art@ceciliafrancisco.com  Cheers!

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