Painter
Member of Flag since:
2019
Francisco’s Bio:
Francisco Arias was born in Puerto Rico in a small town called Ponce, in 1963. Since he was a little child his passion was for drawing, besides playing with his friends. He was
those kinds of kids who would sit down and spend hours painting and drawing, and asking his father to judge it. He admired his father who was also good at drawing, and Frank would ask his father to draw something so that he could also draw it too. All through his early school years, his teachers notice these abilities, and would ask him to draw and paint lesson charts for them to use in their classes. He participated in several painting contests in school and for this reason was well known among his teachers and fellow students. These school contests were of great significance for him, and helped him develop character, and social skills.
During his youth years, he would paint faces, take pictures and ask other painters to make portraits of him and his mom, so that he could study the methods used to replicate a small
photo into a large oil portrait. As an adult, he painted countless T-shirts to sell and even though it didn’t develop into a business, it did give him an experience he would never forget. Several landscapes and seascapes would be painted from time to time, but never to initiated a carrier in
fine art. But through these years he always painted and landscapes or wildlife birds for neighbors, family members, or for himself. He loves, and had loved painting and drawing, since these -he believes- are an activity of the soul, and nothing makes an artist happier than the expression of his mind. Now in his fifties, he is painting more than ever, and would like to leave a legacy for his family, his community, and for future generations. He believes that art is the universal language for all humanity.
Artist Statement:
I love nature and all its amazing beauty. This I believe, puts me among the romantics group, but nature for me is an expression of God’s ingenious mind, and as long as I live, I will capture it in a canvas and allow others to appreciate the mind of God, and the wonders of nature. The power and reach of Painting and drawing says a lot, for it communicates and transcend our social barriers more effectively than any other means. I truly believe that a 35,000 years old cave painting is as effective today as a child’s drawing in expressing his thoughts, inner longings, passions, and desires due to the one thing that binds us all, and that’s because we all belong to the one and only human species, and thus are all connected through a social and historical thread which binds us together as passionate beings and nature lovers. We humans love to paint because we love to express our feelings and share our thoughts to others.
My art has a classical style and reflects an appreciation for ancient inspiration, and the love for the legacy of the great masters. My method is a combination of many ideas There is simply no standard way of doing art since art in an artist’s mind is always evolving.
Exhibitions:
2013: 10th Annual National Arts Program,
Orlando City Artworks Exhibition, Group Exhibition,
Terrace Gallery, at City Hall (June- Aug)
2014: 11th Annual National Arts Program,
Orlando City Artworks Exhibition, Group Exhibition,
Terrace Gallery, at City Hall (June- Aug) (2nd. Prize)
2014: City of Sanford ART WALK
(in the Historic Welcome Center), at Sanford Art-walk downtown arts district Group Competition and Exhibition.
2015: 12th Annual National Arts Program, Orlando City Artworks Exhibition, Group Exhibition,
Terrace Gallery, at City Hall (June- Aug)
2015: Group Exhibition at Gallery at Avalon Island’s, Downtown City of Orlando (April 16, 2015 – May 15, 2015)
2016: 13th Annual National Arts Program, Orlando City Artworks Exhibition, Group Exhibition,
WINNER OF First PLACE-AWARD,
(professional category). Terrace Gallery,
at City Hall (June- Aug)
2016: Winter Springs Art Festival-2016
(ART-October-fest 2016)
2017: 13th Annual National Arts Program, Orlando City Artworks Exhibition, Group Exhibition,
Terrace Gallery,at City Hall (June- Aug)
2018: Group art exhibition at City of Orlando Art
Factory (Orlando Magic Gallery) Dec 2017-Jan 2018
2019: Group art exhibition in the 2019 Art of Healing
Gallery exhibit at the Florida Hospital in
Altamonte Springs FL,
2019: Florida Artists Group-(FLAG) annual statewide exhibition, in The Naples Art Association Art Gallery
at Naples FL
2019: Group art exhibition at the 2019
the Lake Mary Senior Center Art Gallery,
“LIFE EXPERIENCES”-exhibit in Lake Mary FL
2019: Group art exhibition at the 2019 Florida Artist Group-(FLAG) Symposium at Ringling College of Art & Design
(The Richard & Barbara Basch & Willis Smith
Galleries in Sarasota FL.)
2019:Group art exhibition at the 2019 the Lake Mary Senior Center Art Gallery, “Mother Nature”-exhibit
in Lake Mary FL July to August
2019: Hispanic Group art exhibition: City of Orlando, Hispanic Heritage Month 2019 City Hall exhibit
2019: Hispanic Group art exhibition in City of Kissimmee FL, The 11th annual 2019
“Celebrating Hispanic Artists and Culture” event.
2019: American Institute of Architects, Orlando chapter, group Art Show & Auction in Maitland FL October 2019
2019: Group art exhibition in the 2019 (FALL SEASON) Art of Healing Gallery exhibit at the Florida Hospital
in Altamonte Springs FL,
2019: Group art exhibition at the Casselberry Art House Gallery in Casselberry FL, (Rotary Club 2019 Community Arts Calendar event) end of the year exhibition.
2020 –(Note: Year of Covid 19 Pandemic)
*Group art exhibition in the 2020 Art of Healing Art Gallery-Spring time exhibit-at the Florida Hospital in
Altamonte Springs FL,
*Participation at the 2020 Florida Artists Group-(FLAG) 2020 Annual statewide exhibition at the: Foosaner Art Museum in 1463 Highland Ave. Melbourne.
*Winner in a participation In the National Virtual Gallery in the ARTAVITA ONLINE CONTEST with theme: “COVID -DREAMS” – 2020 virtual exhibition.
2021
*Winner in the category of the Blick Art Materials/Merchandise Award Florida Artists Group
71st Annual Exhibition and Symposium
January 15 – February 28,
(At Dunedin Fine Arts Center – DFAC)
*Participation with several art pieces at the Nehrling Gardens fundraiser and art auction event (April)
*FLAG members of Area V group exhibition at the City of Orlando (CityArts art Gallery) (June)
*Group art exhibition for the Winter Park SPLASH ART EXHIBITION AT TUTTO CAFFE/BALDWIN PARK
*City of Orlando MONTH OF THE HISPANIC HERITAGE activity in 2021, at the Terrace Gallery City Hall. Among the hispanic artists selected for this event-Group Exhibition.