About Mercedes Franklin

Discovery

Oil Painter and Jewelry Designer, Mercedes Franklin has brought about her own world of Creativity. Living in a small town in Florida, she picks her distractions & uses them in her work. I would call her an "Intuitive Artist," she has chosen her subject, her paints, her colors, her tools & her style.

The Franklin's were a very visual family including their extended family members. Their discussions were not lost on Mercedes. Having watched her Mother paint and sew, her first creative endeavor was in the 7th grade with her 1st sewing class. She continued these classes creating costumes for the Drama Dept, tailoring suits & personal clothing through her senior year in High School.

Ms. Franklin attended San Diego State University, graduating with a Degree in Art, specializing in Printmaking under Dr. Hodges, whose words of guidance affect her art to this day!

Between her 3rd & 4th years at SDSU , Mercedes was in the Foreign Students Program at the Universities of Granada & Barcelona in Spain, studying the History, Culture and Art of this Country.

Once she graduated from University, she found herself traveling to South and Central America, landing in Taxco, Mexico. There Mercedes created a jewelry line, importing it to the United States and Wholesaling to Retail Stores. Later years she started manufacturing her own line in the U.S. In 2001, she returned to Oil Painting under Master Painter Victoria Bush. She paints with her to this day.

Mercedes Franklin has created a Portfolio of her current work, which is displayed on her site, www.mercedesfranklin.com. She is also a member of the Oil Painters of America, OPA

Since the first time I heard about the "Artist Statement", I have been trying to narrow down exactly why and what I am doing.

Looking, thinking, rethinking, designing have always been conversations I have had with myself. The thoughts become visions, the visions become paintings, paintings become my thoughts.

Though my actual process of painting isn't so direct. I begin with the canvass, start laying down my strokes one after another when out of the blue Newton makes a visit. You know him... "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction". I step back and take a look. The painting comes to life and shows me a possible new direction. Do I like it? Most time I do. We seem to create a relationship, as they say "nothing is an island".

I have gradually developed trust in this relationship, in this act itself. That if it is pursued honestly, the questions that would be raised would be legitimate and the answers would have to exist somewhere, hopefully in my work.

It is most gratifying when I see a person, the viewer, pondering my work all the while I'm wondering what they see. This time 2 new visions begin.

Mercedes Franklin

Lynn Haven, FL

Statement