FRANCISCO FRANCO - ARTIST'S STATEMENT
I grew up in the Central Valley, in the small rural town of Empire outside Modesto. Today I reside in Oakland, CA where I continue to pursue my studies and passion for art. I am an undergraduate student at the University of California at Berkeley, where I am currently studying art and philosophy. I recently transferred from Modesto Junior College (fall 1998). While attending MJC I built a strong artistic foundation through the help and support of a good faculty. With the help of these instructors I was able to grow and push my powers of expression beyond my preconceived capabilities. My confidence as a young artist also grew after receiving a number of awards in the Celebration of the Humanities competition. I am grateful for all the support of my instructors, but most of all I thank Richard Serros. Sometime in 1994 he took me under his wing and helped guide me and to this day the Master-apprentice relationship continues. Together we traveled through ten European countries studying the entire spectrum of art. A large part of my growing philosophy comes from my memorable experiences abroad. I have essentially become a student of Serros.
At heart I am a realist. By a "realist' I not only mean truthfully conveying the surface qualites of nature but of its underlying character as well. My intention is to search out the