Wayne Francis

Wayne Francis was born in Northern Pennsylvania. He received his B.S degree from Mansfield State University in Pennsylvania, and his M.A. from Northern Michigan University. He taught high school in Hawaii, and furniture making at Northwestern State University in Louisiana He was the Director of the DeVos Art Museum and Cultural Affairs program at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan from 1985 – 2007. He and his wife Isabel then sailed their boat from Lake Superior to the Bahamas. He is now a full time artist, dividing his time between Michigan and Florida.

Says Wayne: "I use art to depict that place where humans, animals and spirits come together in the natural world around us. The forms in my work are simplified and stripped to their bare lines, often abstracted and combined with a variety of symbols, which make up my visual vocabulary. Each piece is an object that often combines materials of natural energy such as wood, stone metal and clay. The wall pieces act as windows or portals into a world of myth and mystery. For me making art is a dance, with each step of the process bringing me closer to the final intent of the piece. I see my work as a depiction of the world around me, both seen and unseen."