Francesca de Monterey
About Francesca
My childhood was a country one, with freedom to roam , a squished sandwich in my back pocket, a friend by my side and not expected home again until supper time.
I drew copiously as a child, from things I found to cartoons to total imagination . At school, I did art at GCSE and finally , after working at various jobs, got myself to Art college to study Sculpture/ Fine art , attaining a Diploma in Art and Design in 1974.
Years of distractions followed; earning a living, marrying and having a child and the continuing toll these activities take on the contemplation time needed to create pictures meant that I had to find creative outlets in other areas. I told stories, made imagination games with my son, cooked and entertained, making lovely homes and gardens to share with family and friends.
After several varieties of earning a living, and , with my son grown up, I stopped paid employment and started drawing and painting again.
Joy! My big dog and I would walk through the countryside, ambling through fields and streams, me observing the changing light, and it’s effects on foliage, seasons, skies and clouds.
I sketch outdoors, take photos as back up and aide memoir, returning to the studio to continue working on the sketches, fine tuning and eventually, to paint. This can sometimes be a very quick process, if my vision is very clear. Otherwise, months may pass from initial sketch to completed picture.
Acrylic paints on heavy paper are my main media, adding collage, crayons, and anything else that seems relevant as required. Oh, and I like big pictures, usually working at full Imperial size, which is H56 x W76 cm. Or the other way around. All pictures are that size unless stated.
I have exhibited at The Courtyard, Apple Store Gallery and Gilbies wine bar in Hereford and at Sobell House in Oxford.
New beginnings, new pictures: Then Covid came, my dog died and my life changed, From his companionship in fields and hills to the isolation of lockdown, I still drew and painted but was less interested in landscapes, as I was walking outdoors so much less. I took some classes and rediscovered experimentation, exploring the materials again , new marks, new subjects and new processes. Lots of fun to be had!
My aim is to translate what I feel about what I see into pictures, hoping others can see and feel it too.
