Ross & Lainie Franzi
The Artists
Ross Franzi
The work and success of Ross Franzi represents a triumph of the human spirit over adversity.
Caring and kindhearted, always striving for perfection, Ross is very serious about his artwork, and passionate about protecting wildlife and the environment.
When not painting, Ross loves being outdoors planting trees or walking and looking through his garden, sitting on the beach and listening to the sounds of the forest — this is nature at its best.
Passion for the Environment
Ross has developed into an artist with passion and commitment. Demonstrating his deep concern for the environment, his landscapes with wildlife subjects portray the diversity of his artistic ability and have immense appeal for those with a love of wilderness and rural subjects. Through his paintings, Ross tells a story about the environment, wildlife and man’s co-existence with his natural surroundings.
Nature is so perfect we can learn so much from it. The pain that is my constant companion is representative of the pain that is felt when man tears at this earth and destroys life.
Although he is best known for his wildlife and marine paintings, Ross’s subject matter also comprises his beloved aircraft and sensitive landscapes.
To continually strive for the best art I can do and to teach people art and help them develop their talents. To teach people that we need to look after what we have, the creatures and their habitat are a part of our world as we are, don’t take these wonderful creatures for granted — take care of our world or paintings might be the only way that future generations may see them.
Ross Testament
Australian Artist Magazine Feature
Australian Artist Magazine features Ross in one of their issues, with a focus on “The importance of light in achieving intensity and sharpness in detail”.
Born in Melbourne, Ross is the youngest son in a family of five children. From an early age, Ross enjoyed drawing and had a keen interest in animals. He fondly remembers times spent as a child with his grandfather who took him to animal shows and steam train rides in the Victorian ranges.
Ross also attributes his love and passion for nature to his father, a professional photographer who taught him how to create the perfect picture in detail with respect to light and texture.
Upon leaving school Ross joined the Royal Australian Air Force as an aircraft engineer. However, his defence career was cut short in 1993 when he suffered a serious injury to his right ankle which left him disabled and in constant pain. After his discharge from the air force, he suffered both physical and mental anguish and turned his energies towards his love of art and nature to aid in fighting the resulting pain and depression.
While recovering from his injury, Ross attended the Vikki Harvey School of Fine Art in 1994, studying traditional art, figure drawing and perspective. Here he developed his creative and artistic skills further and found that expressing his imagination assisted in coping with the pain. Ross can help people with chronic pain by using art and being creative, so if you need help please contact him.
Lainie Franzi
Lainie was born in Melbourne and now calls Bloomfield home after many years living in London and Borroloola, a remote town in the Northern Territory.
She has travelled throughout Australia, India and Europe.
Lainie studied Art and Craft at Melbourne College of Advanced Education, where she received her Bachelor of Education, Victorian College of the Arts, and obtained her Masters in Fine Art Practice (Drawing) at Wimbledon College, London.
Love of drawing
Drawing is the focus of Lainie’s practice, maintained throughout her development working in printmaking, ceramics, textiles and computer graphics. Her artworks are finished drawings in a wide variety of media; ink, pencils, watercolour, chalk, powdered pigment … using contemporary methods as well as Renaissance techniques such as leadpoint and washes. Her subject matter is based on the human body and nature; combinations of plant, animal, insect and bird elements presenting nature and humanity in unexpected ways.
Lainie’s finely detailed work includes naturalistic studies of objects presented for the viewer to appreciate the amazing complexity and beauty of what nature creates.
Influences include European gothic and religious paintings and drawings (in particular illustrated manuscripts), Indian miniatures, botanical and zoological studies and an abiding love of the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci.
To continually strive for the best art I can do and to teach people art and help them develop their talents. To teach people that we need to look after what we have, the creatures and their habitat are a part of our world as we are, don’t take these wonderful creatures for granted — take care of our world or paintings might be the only way that future generations may see them.