An eye for beauty
Lanie Franza, Taking a Break, oil, 11 x 14.
This story was featured in the June 2019 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art June 2019 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
LIKE MANY ARTISTS, Lanie Franza developed a penchant for drawing when she was a young child, but she also happened to have an artistically gifted grandfather who nudged her forward on her creative path. “He would sell his work at art festivals,” remembers Franza, “and when we visited him, I’d sit next to him and draw.”
-
- Lanie Franza, Fragrant Freesia, oil, 10 x 10.
-
- Lanie Franza, Blue Beauty, oil, 11 x 14.
-
- Lanie Franza, Getting Ready, oil, 10 x 12.
As she grew older, the Atlanta, GA, native continued to pursue her artistic interests, even while juggling her full-time job as a dental hygienist. While living on Long Island, NY, she took classes at Stevenson Academy of Fine Arts in nearby Oyster Bay, and she also studied art independently. Along the way, she came across Betty Edwards’ Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and Johannes Itten’s The Elements of Color. For Franza, these classic books were game changers. “I started doing master studies as an exercise in reproducing color,” says the artist, who copied the works of greats like Vincent van Gogh, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Andrew Wyeth. “You name it, I loved it,” she says. “And I never looked back.”
-
- Lanie Franza, A Sunny Moment, oil, 13 x 10.
-
- Lanie Franza, Good Morning Champ, oil, 14 x 14.
-
- Lanie Franza, Love, oil, 14 x 11.
Now based in Seattle, the full-time painter has taken workshops with respected artists including Ned Mueller and Michele Usibelli. She frequently portrays the local scenery—including Pike Place Market—en plein air, but still lifes, people, and animals are other favorite subjects. “I’m not afraid to say I paint beauty,” says Franza, who describes her work as a midpoint between realism and impressionism. “I’m capturing my feelings—my impression—of a scene.” —Kim Agricola
Franza is represented by Art Stall Gallery, Seattle, WA, and Kirsten Gallery, Seattle, WA.
-
- Lanie Franza, Market Flowers, oil, 11 x 14.
-
- Lanie Franza, Ruffles, oil, 9 x 12.
-
- Lanie Franza, Sunny, oil, 10 x 10.
This story was featured in the June 2019 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art June 2019 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
MORE RESOURCES FOR ART COLLECTORS & ENTHUSIASTS
• Subscribe to Southwest Art magazine
• Learn how to paint & how to draw with downloads, books, videos & more from North Light Shop
• Sign up for your Southwest Art email newsletter & download a FREE ebook