Taking inspiration from hikes in the California mountains and walks within neighborhoods, Betty’s work explores the chaos, balance, and beauty found in nature where color, texture, and form create complex dialogues. It was while picking wildflowers during walks with her mother in Croatia that she was inspired to translate that experience into layers of acrylic paint, pencil markings, energetic brushstrokes and colorful forms. At first chaotic, it is in this arena that Betty uses intuitive mark- making, layering to both reveal and conceal, and changes in hue to bring a careful balance between order and disorder.

 

Betty Franks was born in Toronto, Canada, and raised in San Jose, California. She is a self-taught abstract artist who started painting when she turned 50. Although it seemed late in life to take up painting, the timing was just right for her.