THE FRANKO
ABSTRACT
An investigation into colour relationships, textural dynamics and other things I pretend to understand 😆
Over the years, abstracts have become a huge part of my creative world.
More than 3,000 of the 7,000+ original paintings that have left FrankoVille here in Queensland have been original abstract paintings.
While I work across several styles, abstraction is probably where I feel most at home... and it is also where it all began.
There is a freedom to abstract art that I find endlessly fascinating. It is partly spiritual and partly intuitive... many of the best moments happen on the fly rather than being carefully planned.
People often ask me, “What is abstract art?”
I can only tell you what it means to me.
I have never believed you need an art degree, an interior designer, a gallery owner or somebody standing beside you explaining why a painting is important.
If you love it, and it loves you back... there is a connection and voila! A romance is born. ❤️
Many years ago I came across the Japanese concept of “yūgen” while listening to a lecture by Alan Watts. There is no perfect Western translation, but to me it describes the feeling that there is always something more beyond what can immediately be seen.
For me, that idea fits the Franko Abstract beautifully.
It is the mystery, the layers and the things that reveal themselves over time... the feeling that there is something magical just beyond the horizon... that you cannot quite see.
Maybe that is where the magic lives. 🦄
FRANKO STUDIO IMAGE — SCALE, PROCESS AND REAL WORKING STUDIO ENERGY
One of the things I love most about my journey with abstracts is that they don't always do what they're told.
Some artists carefully plan every colour, every shape and every brushstroke before they begin. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that... but that ain't me.
I've often said that I don't really create abstracts. I collaborate with them.
A painting might begin with a rough idea, a colour palette or a particular direction in mind, but once the process begins, all bets are off. The most interesting moments often come from the unexpected turns, accidents and discoveries that happen along the way.
That's probably why no two Frankos are ever quite the same.
And occasionally, the unexpected really does take over. I've had large "not quite dry" paintings left outside overnight when there simply wasn't enough room in the studio. The forecast looked fine... then Zeus (Greek God of Weather...among other important roles) had other ideas. A few were ruined, which is always a fabulous way to start the morning, but every now and then the rain created something I never could have planned. I sometimes joke those ones were finished by Zeus... and a few of them have been absolute bangers. 😆
Every artwork in this collection is an original abstract painting created by hand. No prints, no reproductions and no shortcuts... just original paintings built layer by layer through colour, texture, instinct, experience and that special little voice that all too often says, "I wonder what happens if..." and then the reply comes back from the evil shoulder, "Go on... do it... let's see what happens." 🤷♂️
RAW COAST — TEXTURE / SURFACE / MOVEMENT
What Makes a Franko Abstract Painting Different?
Texture.
If there is one thing that appears again and again throughout my work, it is texture.
Many of these paintings are built through multiple layers of paint, mediums and surface treatments designed to create depth, movement and visual interest. Some areas are smooth. Others are rough, cracked, raised or heavily textured.
The result is artwork that changes throughout the day as natural light moves across the surface. Photographs can capture colour reasonably well, but texture is often something that only reveals itself properly when standing in front of the painting.
I have heard it said a gazillion times, "The photos just don't do the painting justice" or "The painting is just so much more awesome in real life"... plus a whole range of colourful variations on that story.
For me, those imperfections, layers and subtle variations are often the most interesting part of the entire piece.
WITCHES VERGE — LARGE STATEMENT ABSTRACT
Large Abstract Paintings for Modern Homes
Many clients arrive looking for a large abstract painting because they have a wall that feels impossible to fill... and want something from a real dinky-di Australian abstract artist.
More often than not, they end up talking to the bloke known in these parts as "Franko". 😆
A tiny painting on a giant wall is a bit like hanging a postage stamp in a shopping centre.
Large abstract paintings have the ability to anchor a space, create a focal point and completely change the energy of a room.
Whether displayed above a sofa, staircase, dining setting, office reception or commercial space, oversized abstract artwork often becomes the visual heartbeat of the room.
That doesn't mean bigger is always better...
But it does mean most people initially underestimate how much impact a larger piece can have.
Oh, and in regards to diptychs and triptychs ... I've always preferred the impact of a single large statement piece. In my view, there is something powerful about one oversized painting commanding an entire wall on its own.
Why Buy Original Abstract Art?
We live in a world full of mass-produced products... and thanks to AI, that's probably about to increase tenfold.
But original art offers something different.
Every painting in this collection exists once.
When a piece sells, it leaves the studio with a little bit of me in it (sometimes more than I care to admit) and becomes part of somebody else's story.
It will never be reproduced, copied or appear in hundreds of other homes.
Sure, I might create another painting with a similar vibe, colour palette or energy somewhere down the track...
But I am not so good an artist that even I can recreate a Franko. 😆
Every painting develops a life of its own, and with abstracts that is especially true.
THE TEMPEST — ONE-OF-ONE ORIGINAL ABSTRACT
FRANKO STUDIO IMAGE — SCALE, COMMISSION POSSIBILITY AND PRODUCTION REALITY
Commissioning A Custom Abstract Painting
Around 30% of my work is now created through commissions.
Sometimes a client falls in love with a painting but needs a different size.
Sometimes they have a specific wall, colour palette or space in mind.
Other times they simply want something completely unique.
Commissions allow all of those things to happen.
If you would like to see a mockup in your space, I'm only too happy to provide that service.
Once we settle on what is to be done, I go to canvas and do my thing. Once your painting is complete, I'll send pics before varnishing so you can see your new baby before it leaves the studio. If there are any small tweaks needed at that stage, they can usually be made before the painting is finished.
The goal is to create something original that feels like it was always meant to live there.
Truthfully, the part I enjoy MOST... above everything else... isn't the creative process or really anything to do with the painting side at all.
It's the email.
The photo hanging in your newly vibed wonderful space.
The message telling me how the artwork has transformed a room, changed the dynamic of a space or become part of somebody's everyday life.
Those moments are a reminder of why I feel blessed that this is my role in the world.
After all these years, they're still the moments that make the wet shoes, paint from head to toe, finding paint in places that should never have paint, paintings that refuse to cooperate, and the occasional client who is... let's just say wonderfully particular 😆 ... completely worthwhile.
It's the regular photos and messages that land in my inbox and remind me exactly why I still love this strange and wonderful job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are all Paintings Original?
Yes. Every painting on this website is an original artwork created by Franko
Do you sell prints?
I've always felt that if somebody invests in an original painting, they deserve to own that original without there being cheaper prints available.
Personally, I would feel a little ripped off if I bought an original artwork and later discovered the artist was selling prints of it... especially if that wasn't disclosed before the original was purchased.
That's just my view.
So for now, it's originals only.
Maybe one day I might create a range of "prints"... but if I do, they will be a specific body of work created for that purpose, not copies of original paintings
Stay tuned... I have ideas. 😏
Can I commission a similar painting to one I have seen?
Absolutely!.
People often assume creativity is infinite... and in some ways it is.
But I've also learned over the years that certain colour combinations work because they work. Certain compositions feel balanced because they are. Certain flows have a kind of visual zen about them for a reason.
When clients commission a painting, they are often responding to something that already exists in a piece they've seen. A colour palette. An energy. A feeling. A balance.
So while no two Frankos are ever exactly the same, commissions often build upon ideas that have already proven themselves in the real world.
After all, if we both love a particular colour palette, flow or vibe... why would we deliberately throw the baby out with the bathwater? 😆
Do you ship internationally?
Yes. To the moon if needed 😏
Paintings have been shipped to buyers around the world.
One thing that makes my process a little different is that I generally ship paintings ready to install rather than rolled in a tube.
Many artists ship rolled canvas and leave the stretching, framing and installation to the buyer.
Personally, I've never been a huge fan of that approach.
I want clients receiving a painting to my exacting standards, professionally packed using the experience gained from shipping thousands of artworks around the world... not opening a tube and discovering they've just inherited another project.
That's why most paintings leave the studio ready to hang and ready to serve. 🍽️
Are paintings framed?
There is often a little confusion around the word "framed".
Yes, all paintings arrive stretched and ready to hang. The artwork is "gallery wrapped", meaning it continues around the sides of the canvas. In other words, all five sides are painted to match the front.
Personally, I've never been a huge fan of the black-edge painted look. 😆
And yes, most paintings can also be supplied with custom solid oak float frames, hand crafted right here in FrankoVille. Real oak... not plastic gesso.
After creating and shipping thousands of paintings over the years, I've become a little particular about presentation. I know how I want a Franko to look when it reaches its forever home.
That's one of the reasons I prefer supplying paintings stretched, finished and ready to hang rather than leaving the final stretching, framing and finishing decisions to somebody else.
A Franko should look like a Franko.
How do I choose the right size abstract painting?
A good rule is to choose artwork that feels slightly larger than your initial instinct. Large abstract paintings often create far greater impact than most people expect.
That said, every room is different.
If you're unsure, send me a photo of your space and I'll happily give you my thoughts. After seeing a few thousand paintings installed over the years, I've become reasonably good at picking what will work... and just as importantly, what won't. Some might even say I'm a bit of a legend. (FIGJAM 😆)
Email: franko@franklinartstudio.com.au
Call or text: +61 418 750 003
I'm always happy to help.
The Franko Abstract
You can explore my Pop Art, Figurative, Landscapes, Book Club pieces and Industrial collections, view all available originals across the website, or enquire about a custom abstract commission designed specifically for your space.
Don't be Vanilla. 😆