Mala Frank-Gavin

This site is a window into my lifetime of art making.

Somehow, the arch-typical images and nomadic forms have been in my work since 1973. They keep recurring as imagery.

Sometimes, I imagine myself as an eye and tool for spirit. I modify the image using both the Principles & Elements of art and adjustments that are both intuitive and spontaneous. So, it is a balance of control and action.

The way that I paint has come from what I have learned from my teachers. I would like to publicly thank the teachers who have most strongly influenced me: Emerson Woelffer, Matsumi Kanemitsu, Leonard Cutrow, Robert Chuey, Robert Glover, Joe Mugnaini, and June Harwood. I have also been greatly inspired by my collegues at the Chouinard School of Art. I was sad to see its closing and look forward to the events and future pursuits of the Chouinard Foundation.

Early work was created by collaging together hand printed images. Later work started as watercolor and acrylic paintings. There may be detailing with colored pencils or oil pastels and then digital photography. I output the images and work back into them, both with collaging and using colored pencils, litho pencils and china markers. Then the images have been adjusted and finished in Photoshop.

Mala Frank-Gavin.