visual & performing artist / illustrator

Patrick Francis, is an enthusiastic, emerging Australian visual and performing artist, illustrator, athlete  and autism ambassador with special needs from a culturally and linguistically diverse background, who communicates effectively through his artwork, live demonstrations, open studios, slideshows, dance/music and books/publications. He finds his primary source material in the visual culture/art history of Western civilisation. Inspired by Michelangelo/Goya/Raphael/Velazquez/Van Gogh/Rubens/Gorky, he is exceptional at revealing attitudes/points of view often masked in the pictorial plays of artists. Working primarily in acrylic on paper, his refined/expressive representations of portraiture/still life range from celebrities/icons to observations of everyday life.

 His remarkable paintings are texturally rich, winning him the prestigious Art & Australia/Credit Suisse Contemporary ArtAward 2012, Maribyrnong Inclusive Recognition Art Awards 2010-16, Victorian Multicultural Art Award 2014, Victorian Young Achievers Art Award 2014, Moonee Valley inaugural Mayoral Art Award 2014, A1 Darebin Art Salon 2016, National Finalist in Darebin Art Prize 2015, Sunshine Coast Art Prize 2016, Artist Photographer Award 2016, besides being featured in Melbourne Now 2013 (Ian Potter Centre), National Gallery of Victoria's 150th birthday & Design Stores 2010-2017, Melbourne Art Fairs 2012 & 2014, SafARI 2014 Sydney Biennale, Fine Art America 2015–17, FLAIR Melbourne 2016, Arts Project Collins Place/Sofitel Showcase 2016, Bluthumb 2016–17, Linden Postcard Show 2016, Moreland Summer Show 2016, Open Studios at FCAC/Saltwater Art Centre 2015–17, Solo Exhibition & Residency at Bundoora Homestead Art Centre 2017, Victoria University MetroWest 2016 & 2017, Open Canvas 2017, Third Drawer Down 2013-17; Robin Gibson/Walsh Bay/Sheffer/Chippendale Galleries, Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Sydney; Arts Project/Roslyn Smorgon/Splash/Incinerator/Counihan/Little Woods/Phoenix/Collingwood/Yarra/Coburg/Stockton/Clover/Norwood/Linden New Art/Platform 72/No Vacancy Galleries, Ian Potter Centre, Atrium – Federation Square & Sunshine Art Spaces, Melbourne; Tanks Art Centre & Brisbane Convention/Exhibition Centre, APAC, CRC & Access Arts Queensland (selected for Wasaboshi Art Festival, Bangkok); numerous Australian regional galleries including Newcastle, Dubbo, Ipswich, Ballarat, Gippsland, Hazelhurst; International exhibitions in India, New York, Singapore and Bangkok since 2010, besides numerous private collections and being acquired by Art Gallery of NSW, Arts Access Victoria, Art & Australia, Bundoora Homestead Art Centre, ArtBank and the previous Governor General of Australia – Dame Quentin Bryce. He had won several youth/sport/community service awards from Moonee Valley/Maribyrnong/Moreland Councils, Victorian Premier Dr Denis Napthine and the Hon Bill Shorten MP. He's been featured in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Art Guide, Art & Australia magazine, Moonee Valley Leader/Weekly; Moreland, Northcote, Melton, Darebin and Brimbank newspapers, Art Month Sydney, Raven, Indian Link, The Hindu, National Gallery of Victoria Melbourne Now Yearbooks & ancillary documents, several online articles, Amazon books, amongst others.

 He has recently applied himself to learning to play classical compositions on the piano with remarkable success, as evidenced by his music videos on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=patrick+francis+music+aaa+exhibition) and is also currently under the tutelage of James Hullick, Director of JOLT, experimenting and blossoming with sonic music.