FRANCINE FREEMAN

Biography

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I started my arts career in Mississauga, Ontario creating

hyper realistic paintings with light application of oil

paints and vivid colors as a way to relive the moments

and share my memories.  I attended Sheridan College in

Oakville, Ontario, completing the Advanced Art

Fundamentals Program, a three-year program of general

fine arts. After completing my Masters in Visual Arts at

Griffith University in Australia. My Masters project

included a series of paintings related to my travels and  

experiences of coming to Australia.  With a final

Exhibition focused on the beautiful landscape of

Australia in the form of paintings meant to fit and travel

well in a suitcase.

After graduation my focus was directed towards teaching of the arts through classes at Oakville Arts Society and Oakville Memorial Hospital for the nurses as a form of relaxation, stress relief and skill building. I then started teaching in North York as a high school art teacher, as well as private classes in hopes to help others find their passion and tap into their creativity. My approach is to have students create inspiring work and use what they’ve learnt to make a positive effect by taking art out of the classroom and into the community. I run events like art therapy with seniors, where students use their skills learnt and spend a series of days at the local seniors’ homes bridging gaps between generations using art therapy.  I have my students take part in the Global Day of Climate Action run through Fridays for Future creating posters and screen printed t-shirts on climate justice to march in the Toronto Strike. Students have the opportunity to voice their concerns and stand up for world issues, while being featured on CTV News. 

Most recently my focus has been on creating community murals and public displays involving the students and in my personal work. The last 2 years I have had the students take part in community murals for the City of Toronto's Winter Activation Grant to create a COVID friendly way to take photos with Santa and Lunar New Year/Family day design. These were printed on a backdrop banner and displayed at 3 malls in the Scarborough ward 23 region. 
 
My personal work has evolved into creating large and small scale murals and installations on all types of surfaces indoors and outdoors. My work can be seen in bell boxes, light pole boxes, private residences and restaurants.  My most recent murals spanning 31ft at the Best Western Hotel in the Postcard Restaurant, revealing a multi media display with RGB lights within a Toronto skyline mural. I aim to continue creating public displays, installations and murals to brighten the everyday routes and inspire youth to be involved in and have a positive view/respect on public art.

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