ARTIST STATEMENT
When I was young, I realized that art had the power to transport me to different places and eras. Whenever I looked at paintings by Edward Hopper or Andrew Wyeth, I felt as though I was instantly transported to the worlds they depicted. I wanted my own artwork to possess that same power.
As the years passed, I came to the realization that I am also fundamentally a storyteller. Not only do I want to transport my audience into a world of my own creation, but I want them to live there, and as they move, from painting to painting, they move vicariously through the worlds and stories I've drawn out from my imagination.
The images I create are entirely imagined scenes and alternate between reality and the surreal as they present desolate and mysterious places reminiscent of the iconic American West.
I’m drawn to deserted places and bare compositions. Rarely are there more than a few subjects in my paintings; the sky, the earth, Creasote or Arrowweed bushes, and some evidence of past or present human existence. Perhaps an abandoned car, fence post, road, or rail car.
I use these subjects as characters in a play. I give my audience just enough information where they can conjure up a story, but never enough to feel entirely grounded or sure of what the story is or where it is going.
When I was young, I realized that art had the power to transport me to different places and eras. Whenever I looked at paintings by Edward Hopper or Andrew Wyeth, I felt as though I was instantly transported to the worlds they depicted. I wanted my own artwork to possess that same power.
As the years passed, I came to the realization that I am also fundamentally a storyteller. Not only do I want to transport my audience into a world of my own creation, but I want them to live there, and as they move, from painting to painting, they move vicariously through the worlds and stories I've drawn out from my imagination.
The images I create are entirely imagined scenes and alternate between reality and the surreal as they present desolate and mysterious places reminiscent of the iconic American West.
I’m drawn to deserted places and bare compositions. Rarely are there more than a few subjects in my paintings; the sky, the earth, Creasote or Arrowweed bushes, and some evidence of past or present human existence. Perhaps an abandoned car, fence post, road, or rail car.
I use these subjects as characters in a play. I give my audience just enough information where they can conjure up a story, but never enough to feel entirely grounded or sure of what the story is or where it is going.
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
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 “Proof of Life (Part 5)”, Billis Williams Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2023 “Proof of Life (Part 4)”, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2023 “Proof of Life (Part 3)”, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2021 “Proof of Life (Part 2)”, Billis Williams Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2021 “Of Myth and Mystery”, Stanek Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2020 “Francis DiFronzo”, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2020 “Francis DiFronzo”, George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
2020 “Proof of Life (Part 1), Billis Williams 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
2014 “A Moments Respite”, Haen Gallery, Asheville, NC
2013 “The Earth’s Sharp Edge (Part 3),” Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2013
2013 “Point of View”, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2012 “Recent Work”, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2012 “Earth, Sea, Sky”, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2011 “The Earth’s Sharp Edge (Part 2)”, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2010 “The Earth’s Sharp Edge (Part 1)”, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2010 “Inland Empire (Part 3)”, Haen Gallery, Asheville, NC
2009 “Inland Empire (Part 2)”, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2009 “Inland Empire (Part 1)”, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2008 “Recent Work 2”, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2007 “Oil Paintings”, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2006 “Recent Work 1”, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2005 “Sunday”, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2004 “Anxiety Descending”, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2002 “Trying Light”, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
AWARDS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
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 (2013-18)
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
EDUCATION
1998 M.F.A., Painting, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
1994 B.F.A., Painting, California State University, Fullerton
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 “Proof of Life (Part 5)”, Billis Williams Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2023 “Proof of Life (Part 4)”, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2023 “Proof of Life (Part 3)”, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2021 “Proof of Life (Part 2)”, Billis Williams Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2021 “Of Myth and Mystery”, Stanek Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2020 “Francis DiFronzo”, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2020 “Francis DiFronzo”, George Billis Gallery, New York, NY
2020 “Proof of Life (Part 1), Billis Williams 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
2014 “A Moments Respite”, Haen Gallery, Asheville, NC
2013 “The Earth’s Sharp Edge (Part 3),” Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2013
2013 “Point of View”, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2012 “Recent Work”, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2012 “Earth, Sea, Sky”, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2011 “The Earth’s Sharp Edge (Part 2)”, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2010 “The Earth’s Sharp Edge (Part 1)”, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2010 “Inland Empire (Part 3)”, Haen Gallery, Asheville, NC
2009 “Inland Empire (Part 2)”, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2009 “Inland Empire (Part 1)”, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2008 “Recent Work 2”, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2007 “Oil Paintings”, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2006 “Recent Work 1”, Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
2005 “Sunday”, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2004 “Anxiety Descending”, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2002 “Trying Light”, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
AWARDS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
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 (2013-18)
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