Erica Danielle Franz

Artist's Statement

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My artwork is all about color and spontaneity!

Out of sensually smooth lines, small animals evolve into larger possibilities.

Early on, a particular element usually identifies itself as the leader,

a color, brushstroke, or the results of Kahana rainbow showers.

I work deliberately and aim to maintain balance and water-like flow across the canvas.

However, my unconscious and the accidental are always responsible for the end result.

I am most attracted to the raw energy of the animal spirit.

My "humans" are rarely literal; evolving back into mermaids,

they posses a sense of humor and strength unique to their own rare species.

I cannot under-estimate the intoxicating effect of living in Maui.

Surrounding me is constant inspiration and movement.

My landscapes of Maui are usually in watercolor, painted plein-air.

The colors are wildly unpredictable as the

tradewinds blow their clouds and shadows overhead.

Recently I have switched to working almost exclusively in

acrylic and watercolor paints as to avoid the toxins and heavy metals in oils.

I prefer to paint on used sail cloth: Dacron. The sailmakers seams and rivets

provide what I refer to as "honest materials". Proudly, I do not avoid these areas ,

but stretch them across the center of a painting.

My paintings are large. Six, seven, ten feet in length even.

Large-scale painting allows me to get as messy as possible, which is of course....

the most fun!