ABOUT THE ARTIST
Born in San Pedro, California in 1969, Francis DiFronzo has been painting and exhibiting his artwork in the United States for more than thirty years.
"I discovered at a young age that art had the ability to transport me out of my world and into the lives of artists I admired. When I looked at paintings by Andrew Wyeth or Edward Hopper, I felt as though I was momentarily living in the worlds they created. I wanted to do the same thing. I wanted my work to have that power."
After receiving his B.F.A in 1994 from California State University, Fullerton, DiFronzo moved to Philadelphia, PA where he continued his studies in drawing and painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. There he worked and learned under the guidance of artists Murray Dessner, Jan Baltzell, Sidney Goodman, Vincent Desiderio and Irving Petlin. Di Fronzo earned his M.F.A from the Pennsylvania Academy in 1998, and in 2004, he was awarded the prestigious Pew Fellowship in the Arts.
"Over the years, I've realized I'm fundamentally a storyteller. Like the artists I admired in my youth, I'm using my paintings to transport my audience into a world that is different than their own. I'm drawn to desolate places and bare compositions. My paintings - as stories - are occupied by just a few characters. There is the sky and the Earth, arrowweed and creosote bushes, and perhaps some emblem of human existence... a road, or telephone pole, railcar, automobile, or roadside cafe. I use these characters to create the bones of a story, and to imbue the paintings with some sense of mystery. There's just enough to draw you in and to keep you engaged."
Born in San Pedro, California in 1969, Francis DiFronzo has been painting and exhibiting his artwork in the United States for more than thirty years.
"I discovered at a young age that art had the ability to transport me out of my world and into the lives of artists I admired. When I looked at paintings by Andrew Wyeth or Edward Hopper, I felt as though I was momentarily living in the worlds they created. I wanted to do the same thing. I wanted my work to have that power."
After receiving his B.F.A in 1994 from California State University, Fullerton, DiFronzo moved to Philadelphia, PA where he continued his studies in drawing and painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. There he worked and learned under the guidance of artists Murray Dessner, Jan Baltzell, Sidney Goodman, Vincent Desiderio and Irving Petlin. Di Fronzo earned his M.F.A from the Pennsylvania Academy in 1998, and in 2004, he was awarded the prestigious Pew Fellowship in the Arts.
"Over the years, I've realized I'm fundamentally a storyteller. Like the artists I admired in my youth, I'm using my paintings to transport my audience into a world that is different than their own. I'm drawn to desolate places and bare compositions. My paintings - as stories - are occupied by just a few characters. There is the sky and the Earth, arrowweed and creosote bushes, and perhaps some emblem of human existence... a road, or telephone pole, railcar, automobile, or roadside cafe. I use these characters to create the bones of a story, and to imbue the paintings with some sense of mystery. There's just enough to draw you in and to keep you engaged."
RESUME
Born, San Pedro, California, 1969
EDUCATION
1998 M.F.A., Painting, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
1994 B.F.A., Painting, California State University, Fullerton
MAJOR & SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2021 “Of Myth and Mystery”, Stanek Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2020 “Francis DiFronzo”, George Billis Gallery, NY, NY
2020 “Francs DiFronzo”, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2020 “Proof of Life”, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2019 “Parallels”, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2018 “Storytellers”, Francis DiFronzo & Victoria Wyeth, Stanek Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2018 “The Half-Life of Dreams (Part 2),” Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2016 “The Half-Life of Dreams,” Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2015 “The Earth’s Sharp Edge (Part 5),” Somerville manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2014 “The Earth’s Sharp Edge (Part 4),” Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2013 “The Earth’s Sharp Edge (Part 3),” Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2013 “The Earth’s Sharp Edge (Part 2),” Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM AWARDS
2016 Artwork featured throughout Season 2 of “Better Call Saul”, Sony Pictures
2004 Pew Fellowship in the Arts, Painting 1998 Stobbart Foundation Fellowship, Painting
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY (2013-20)
American Art Collector, “Intricate Parts”, January, 2020
American Art Collector, “The Half-Life of Dreams”, April, 2018
Fine Art Connoisseur, “The Art of Francis DiFronzo”, March, 2018
Western Art & Architecture, Ones to Watch: Francis DiFronzo”, April, 2016
American Art Collector, “Innovative Transports”, November, 2015
Pasatiempo, “Exhibitionism: Francis DiFronzo’s Trains”, October, 2014
Born, San Pedro, California, 1969
EDUCATION
1998 M.F.A., Painting, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
1994 B.F.A., Painting, California State University, Fullerton
MAJOR & SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2021 “Of Myth and Mystery”, Stanek Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2020 “Francis DiFronzo”, George Billis Gallery, NY, NY
2020 “Francs DiFronzo”, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2020 “Proof of Life”, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2019 “Parallels”, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2018 “Storytellers”, Francis DiFronzo & Victoria Wyeth, Stanek Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2018 “The Half-Life of Dreams (Part 2),” Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2016 “The Half-Life of Dreams,” Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2015 “The Earth’s Sharp Edge (Part 5),” Somerville manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2014 “The Earth’s Sharp Edge (Part 4),” Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2013 “The Earth’s Sharp Edge (Part 3),” Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2013 “The Earth’s Sharp Edge (Part 2),” Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM AWARDS
2016 Artwork featured throughout Season 2 of “Better Call Saul”, Sony Pictures
2004 Pew Fellowship in the Arts, Painting 1998 Stobbart Foundation Fellowship, Painting
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY (2013-20)
American Art Collector, “Intricate Parts”, January, 2020
American Art Collector, “The Half-Life of Dreams”, April, 2018
Fine Art Connoisseur, “The Art of Francis DiFronzo”, March, 2018
Western Art & Architecture, Ones to Watch: Francis DiFronzo”, April, 2016
American Art Collector, “Innovative Transports”, November, 2015
Pasatiempo, “Exhibitionism: Francis DiFronzo’s Trains”, October, 2014
