Shingo Francis Abstract Paintings

Shingo Francis grew up in Los Angeles, immersed in the intense light and vast ocean vistas of life in southern California. Like many LA artists, Francis became fascinated with the ev...

Utilizing interference paint, a medium with mercurial properties, Francis dials into the phenomenology of perception to produce works that resonate with subtle shifts of color to extraordinary effect. Their nuance invites a quiet curiosity, provoking a sense of wonder as one moves Zen-like into an exploration of engaged contemplation on the cyclical nature of time and liminal space. With a Japanese mother and American father, Mako Idemitsu and Sam Francis, highly regarded artists themselves, Shingo Francis grew up between Tokyo and Santa Monica, immersed in art and absorbing the sensibilities of both cultures.  Early professors noted the young artist’s eye for color and interest in the color theory of Joseph Albers. On a trip to Paris, Francis sought out the great abstract painter, Joan Mitchell, for her feedback on his work. She told him, “You can paint, but you’re just illustrating. It’s just empty. If you really want to paint, you’re going to have to reach deep inside and pull it out.” This had a profound effect and inspired Francis to think about his work in more intimate, contemplative terms. Accordingly, Francis’ work investigates and synthesizes traditional Japanese philosophies and aesthetics with Southern California practices. He employs many Japanese concepts such as: “wabi-sabi”, an acceptance of transient and austere beauty; as well as “Yūgen”, a concept of profound and mysterious beauty, often associated with the subtle and hidden. The concept invites viewers to engage more deeply with the art and environment, encouraging a contemplative and engaging approach to perception. Francis harnesses these observances into a process-based practice of abstraction, with clear connections to Light and Space and Southern California’s influences. Observing environmental permutations are a part of this practice. Francis notes that the northerly atmosphere in Japan casts a cooler light which is bluer, while the Southern Californian sun is warmer offering a fuller spectrum.  In Liminal Presence, Shingo Francis has utilized the uniquely, expressive properties of interference paints to exploit their ever-shifting character. The paint contains very small beads of mica particles suspended in an oil medium. This creates an optical effect, with the beads splintering the spectrum of light to produce color, similar to the way rainbows prism...

Francis has continued this pursuit with a series of gossamer-like paintings with colors that appear in constant flux, changing as one moves about them. Utilizing interference paints...

Francis, Shingo (Japanese/American, born 1969), W3 , 1999 Encaustic and watercolor painting on Arches paper, 23.5 x 22.5 inches, Hand signed and dated verso Provenance: Garner Tullis Workshop Shingo Francis is a painter, drawer and photographer who employs a minimal and abstract approach in his work, exploring color, time and space. This was done at Garner Tullis workshop. Francis was born in Santa Monica, California in 1969. At the age of three he moved to Japan with his Japanese mother, and went to an international school in Tokyo until the age of thirteen. He subsequently moved back to California to live with his father, the Abstract Expressionist artist Sam Francis during the academic year, spending the summer and winter breaks in Tokyo. Francis received degree Bachelor of Arts degree in 1992 from Pitzer College in Claremont, California. In 2001, he moved his studio from Los Angeles...

Francis, Shingo (Japanese/American, born 1969), W3 , 1999 Encaustic and watercolor painting on Arches paper, 23.5 x 22.5 inches, Hand signed and dated verso Provenance: Garner Tullis Workshop Shingo Francis is a painter, drawer and photographer who employs a minimal and abstract approach in his work, exploring color, time and space. This was done at Garner Tullis workshop. Francis was born in Santa Monica, California in 1969. At the age of three he moved to Japan with his Japanese mother, and went to an international school in Tokyo until the age of thirteen. He subsequently moved back to California to live with his father, the Abstract Expressionist artist Sam Francis during the academic year, spending the summer and winter breaks in Tokyo. Francis received degree Bachelor of Arts degree in 1992 from Pitzer College in Claremont, California. In 2001, he moved his studio from Los Angeles...

Francis, Shingo (Japanese/American, born 1969), W3 , 1999 Encaustic and watercolor painting on Arches paper, 23.5 x 22.5 inches, Hand signed and dated verso Provenance: Garner T...

Shingo Francis presents beautifully subtle, gossamer-like oils that shift and move with a grace that’s like wind over water.

This abstract, gouache and acrylic painting by Shingo Francis is depicted in vibrant greens, pinks, blues and violets. With a devotion to color and light, the painting is characteristic of Francis' organic strokes and drips, with a inclination towards color and deliberate white voids. Shingo Francis is a painter, draftsman and photographer who employs a minimal and abstract approach to his work to explore color, time and expanse. Francis was born in Santa Monica, California in 1969. At the age of three he moved to Japan with his Japanese mother, and went to an international school in Tokyo until the age of thirteen. He subsequently moved back to California to live with his father during the academic year, spending the summer and winter breaks...