Artist Statement
I’ve always been a daydreamer and painting lets me hang out in those daydreams a little longer. I love being outdoors and experiencing nature, but the moments are fleeting; painting is how I can stop time, freeze a moment, and preserve it. When I find a scene that moves me, I enjoy figuring out how to create that same reaction on the canvas. My paintings focus on creating a sense of space, tranquility, and nostalgia.
As an avid traveler I find myself attracted to the everyday scenes that make places both unique and familiar. My traditional oil paintings capture the scapes: land, sea, city, and sky. Whether it be an intimate landscape or an epic vista; give me the great outdoors!
I also love a good still life scene, one that gives me a glimpse into the intimate interactions of life.
While living on the California coast gave me plenty of opportunities to paint outdoors, my current focus is adapting my plein air pieces into larger studio works.
Whether on location or in the studio, I spend my days chasing daydreams.
Bio
Calina Franzosa lives and paints in Alexandria, VA. She is currently working towards her MFA in painting and drawing.
Calina was born in 1981 in Santa Cruz, California. She graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with bachelor’s degrees in art and English. Calina also earned her Master's of Education at the University of California at Santa Cruz after which, she became a high school English teacher. The practical profession of teaching won out over a career in the visual arts. But in 2015 a head injury on the job brought her back to her true passion, painting.
In 2016, Calina began painting again, creating drawings and oil paintings, in her studio and en plein air. She has studied with many esteemed traditional artists such as, John MacDonald and Todd Casey. She has also taken workshops from nationally acclaimed artists including Randy Sexton, Jim Wodark, and Calven Liang.
Calina loves to travel both internationally and around the United States. Travel affords her the opportunity to experience different cultures and landscapes. She enjoys bringing these experiences to her studio practice, painting both from studies done on location and her reference photos.
Follow along through Instagram, Facebook, and the Inner Circle as Calina shows you her world in paint.