New Member Spotlight – Fran Oviedo

Lives in:  Bethesda, Maryland 

Why you joined MAA:  I joined the Montgomery Art Association because I want to connect with other artists and learn from them. 

Media & Subjects:  My major in school was printmaking but because my physical space is a little tight right now I mostly work with acrylics, watercolors, encaustics and mixed media.  The themes for my paintings are usually inspired by nature and personal memories from my childhood and from my home country and family. 

Social Media where you can connect with Fran:

Instragram: https://www.instagram.com/franart715/?hl=en 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009871419933

Something fun about you:  I am from Chile, and when I turned 33 I wanted to change my life.  So I came to the United States to start a new adventure.  I was an intern at the Art Museum of the Americas.  

Artist Biography:  I was born in Temuco, Chile. I am a visual artist living in Washington D.C. since 2012. 

Fran’s artistic motivation developed in early childhood as she began to notice and appreciate the arts and crafts around her house. From a very young age, her vacations were spent in her grandparents' farm, which helped develop her creativity and acquire a special sensitivity for the landscape and nature.

In 1999, Fran began studying design at Finis Terrae University. Her passion for art was stronger and changed her career within the same University, graduating with honors in the specialty of engraving, where her mentor was the outstanding engraver, Teresa Gazitúa. Also, she was always drawn to education which lead her to study art education for high school students.

After some years teaching children ages 3-10 years old in her private art studio in Santiago, she decided to leave Chile to participate in a professional internship at the Museum of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington D.C. In the OAS Museum, she worked supporting the educational projects of the museum, inventory of the permanent collection and installations of works for exhibitions held during her internship period.

Among the educational projects in which she was involved, we can highlight the green engraving workshops Fran made for children at the Latin Youth Center in Washington D.C. and workshops for children and adults within the same museum. The green engraving technique is characterized by being an environmentally friendly technique. It is made mainly with tetra type containers and water inks.

Her works in general are composed of bright, warm colors and sometimes with a lot of texture and materiality. Board pieces, personal garments, magazine clippings, sand from places she visits, will be incorporated into her creations when she believes them necessary or appropriate. These are made in different supports such as canvas, wood, paper, cardboard, etc.

Her themes oscillate between the abstract landscape, the self-portrait and the total abstraction, which she achieves through different techniques such as monotype, green engraving, watercolor, acrylic and encaustic painting.

Due to her introverted personality, art has been her best therapy and form of expression, thus achieving her most intimate feelings in her works. Art is her passion; she cannot live without it. Unfortunately, she has had to leave it for periods of time, but she always comes back to it because it is an essential part of her life.

One of her first artistic recognitions was in 2005, when one of her paintings was chosen as a corporate image for the notebooks of the students of the University where she studied.