Fran Jaffe and Her Unique Canvases

Fran Jaffe, winner of the 2007 Lakeshore Arts Festival first prize in the Mixed Media category will be back in 2008 with her unique work, and we couldn’t be happier.

Fran paints with mixed media on gourds, slate and granite tiles, river rocks and wood. She uses individual dots of acrylic paint to create the illusion of beading and she employs dye methods and faux batik in her artwork.

However, this is just the material side of Fran Jaffe’s art. The spiritual side is what guides her hand and what informs every piece. Her inspiration has come from her many travels throughout America, India and the Middle East. She has a deep admiration of Tibetan thangkas and mandalas, Native American painting and beadwork, Australian Aboriginal art and the artisans who create such work. Her mission is to bring together spiritual symbols and images of all cultures to show the similarities and unity of the human spirit that has existed since the beginning of time.

Fran is a self taught artist who began painting in 1995 after meeting an artist in Arizona who demonstrated the Australian Aboriginal dot art technique to her. Another aspect of her work that sets her apart is her frequent use of gourds as canvases onto which her elaborate and detailed works are painted. They are truly a sight to behold and we hope that you will stop by Fran’s booth at this year’s Lakeshore Festival to meet the artist and see her incredible work.