about Frances.....
Creating murals with young people is undoubtedly the most interesting and exciting work I've done.
Besides beautifying the city, these projects are enormously empowering for the participants. For
those who can neither vote nor drive, creating public art is their ticket to citizenship; they are able to
make an impact and a difference. Some murals are in high traffic tourist destinations and are seen
by one million tourists plus Chattanoogans. I wonder how many artists can say that about their
work?
Personally, I am very challenged by this work: as an artist, teacher, and administrator.
Typically, there is a site, a client, a group of children. We choose a theme. The children make
drawings of the theme, for example trains or outerspace creatures. We take the drawings to the
site, discuss composition and scale. The children enlarge their drawings on the wall. They color their
own drawings with paint, work the background and whatever is needed until the mural is finished.
Sounds simple? It is not. Child safety is always my primary concern. The children are well
instructed in the use of all painting equipment, ladders, scaffolding, etc. They are encouraged to stay
focused and create collaboratively a mural they will be proud of for years to come. I am personally
responsible for the "product," so it is paramount that the artists not only finish, but that the mural is
aesthetic.
Team members are almost always both artists and teachers. Dennis Palmer has partnered with me
on eight murals. Other team members include Judy Mogul, Janice Wilkey, Derek Taylor, Helen
Johnson, Eric Keller, Michael Weger, Brooke Montague, Jeff Cannon, Michael Woods, Nikki
Mollet, Heather Palmer plus countless other volunteers.
about Frances personally....
I grew up in Chattanooga and then moved away for almost twenty years. Received a degree in
International Business Administration (cum laude) from the American University of Paris where I
enrolled in several painting classes on the side, and determined that I would like to be an artist.
Following graduation I enrolled at the Ecole Superieure de Beaux Arts where I spent seven years
applying my craft and exhibiting locally. I still consider this education to be invaluable.
In 1987, very ready to return to the United States, I moved to Brooklyn. Exhibited my work with
several regional galleries, most notably the Alan Stone Gallery. Did some teaching and a bit of
collaborative work.
In 1994 I had two enormous health crisis and decided to go home. It took about a year for me to
be fully functioning and about a year to fall in love with my hometown! Working on a team
facilitating the Central Block Building mural convinced me that making large public murals was
aesthetically challenging for me as well as so empowering for the children. Needless to add, it also
beautifies the city. This kind of art could create win-win situations.
I started to see this kind of art as a genre, and one that I could be good at. Today, I have
facilitated some thirty mural projects with children and am starting to work with non-profit adult
groups (Siskin, Memorial Hospital, Tennessee Institute of Healing Arts, AIM Center, Fortwood,
Community Kitchen etc). We are stretching the mural concept to include portable murals in
storefronts, display units for public awareness...
Obviously I cannot do anything of this alone so would like to thank Allied Arts, the City of
Chattanooga, the Hamilton County School system and many individuals who have painted,
volunteered time or funds. My mother who never called herself an artist has endowed me with
much visual talent; my dad, who by example, has shown me how important it is to contribute to
one's commuinity.
Frances