ARTIST STATEMENT 2025
The images I create are entirely imagined scenes designed to alternate between reality and the surreal as they present desolate and mysterious places reminiscent of the iconic American West. I’m drawn to deserted scenes and bare compositions, rarely including 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, giving my audience just enough information to conjure up a story, but never enough to feel sure of what the story is or where it is going. This endows my work with a quiet mystery and subtle sense of foreboding.
Francis DiFronzo earned his BFA in Drawing and Painting from California State University, Fullerton, and Master of Fine Arts from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. DiFronzo has exhibited with artists Andrew Wyeth, Jamie Wyeth, Bo Bartlett, and Randall Exon and is a Pew Fellowship recipient. DiFronzo’s work is exhibited throughout the United States and was featured prominently on Season 2 of the Emmy award-winning television show “Better Call Saul”. Francis DiFronzo recently joined the faculty at California State University Fullerton, where he teaches drawing and painting.
The images I create are entirely imagined scenes designed to alternate between reality and the surreal as they present desolate and mysterious places reminiscent of the iconic American West. I’m drawn to deserted scenes and bare compositions, rarely including 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, giving my audience just enough information to conjure up a story, but never enough to feel sure of what the story is or where it is going. This endows my work with a quiet mystery and subtle sense of foreboding.
Francis DiFronzo earned his BFA in Drawing and Painting from California State University, Fullerton, and Master of Fine Arts from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. DiFronzo has exhibited with artists Andrew Wyeth, Jamie Wyeth, Bo Bartlett, and Randall Exon and is a Pew Fellowship recipient. DiFronzo’s work is exhibited throughout the United States and was featured prominently on Season 2 of the Emmy award-winning television show “Better Call Saul”. Francis DiFronzo recently joined the faculty at California State University Fullerton, where he teaches drawing and painting.
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
SPECIAL AWARDS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2025 Juror, “New Impressions of Orange County” Juried Exhibition, Kennedy Contemporary, Newport Beach, CA
2016 Artwork featured throughout Season 2 of “Better Call Saul”, Sony Pictures
2004 Pew Fellowship in the Arts, Painting 1998 Painting Stobbart Foundation Fellowship, Painting
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025 “Western Front”, Billis Williams Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
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
2021 “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
2015 “The Half-Life of Dreams,” Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2014 “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
TEACHING AND BOARD MEMBERSHIP APPOINTMENTS
2024 - Present Instructor, drawing and painting. California State University, Fullerton
2024 - Present Instructor, drawing and painting, Southern California Plein Air Painters Association
2025 Education Committee, Southern California Plein Air Painters Association
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Medium, “Of Myth, Mystery & Memory: Traveling the World in Isolation”, January 2021
Artillery, “Francis DiFronzo”, January 2020
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
SPECIAL AWARDS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2025 Juror, “New Impressions of Orange County” Juried Exhibition, Kennedy Contemporary, Newport Beach, CA
2016 Artwork featured throughout Season 2 of “Better Call Saul”, Sony Pictures
2004 Pew Fellowship in the Arts, Painting 1998 Painting Stobbart Foundation Fellowship, Painting
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025 “Western Front”, Billis Williams Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
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
2021 “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
2015 “The Half-Life of Dreams,” Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2014 “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
TEACHING AND BOARD MEMBERSHIP APPOINTMENTS
2024 - Present Instructor, drawing and painting. California State University, Fullerton
2024 - Present Instructor, drawing and painting, Southern California Plein Air Painters Association
2025 Education Committee, Southern California Plein Air Painters Association
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Medium, “Of Myth, Mystery & Memory: Traveling the World in Isolation”, January 2021
Artillery, “Francis DiFronzo”, January 2020
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