Today we’d like to introduce you to Francesca Quintano.
Francesca, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am a Los Angeles-based artist, born in Santa Monica, raised here and part-time in Europe. I grew up on movie sets, surrounded by interesting people, my parents being artists as well, so I always knew I wanted to do something creative. I have been seriously pursuing painting since I was 14. This pursuit has taken on many forms. I have had the privilege to show works alongside other fantastic artists in galleries all over Los Angeles, create murals internationally, curate shows, & work production on some of the most prolific street art exhibits.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would say overall, it has been a relatively smooth road. I am sure in the moment I would not always agree with that, but when I am able to pursue a dream career path it is a privilege. The number one struggle would be being my own consistent cheerleader. There are days when I question if I am making the right choices, or if need to push into a different direction, along with comparing to others. This is true of all career paths. One struggle which I believe all artists can relate to is the frustration of quantifying our worth of work and self to clients. On a more specific note, being the only woman, or one of a handful on a job is sometimes daunting, as well as the physical risks some jobs have had. Ultimately one can only grow by pushing to experience and master new things, progressing outside your comfort zone in order to sharpen your craft o would be concerned that I am not growing if it were always a smooth road.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a classically trained oil painter, focusing mostly on realism and surrealism. My work deals with themes of life and death, whether it be from juxtaposing rainforests with death imagery or portraits mixed with water. I would say I am most known for my representation of skulls, in particular a series of layered watercolor and pen ink. I enjoy creating beautiful images, mashing up subject matters while using deep saturated colors. Something thoughtful and fun to look at.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I think artists will continue to create work with NFTs and push deeper into AI-assisted works. I believe some will really rely on this tool, while others will use it solely as a tool. Ultimately I think that once the newness of this settles down we will see wonderful leaps in technology-based art while also seeing more classical forms of art making having a resurgence as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.francescaquintano.com
- Instagram: @francesca_quintano
