In quiet awe: Ron Francis

Once again, my memory has deceived me with remembering how I first discovered the oh-so-talented Australian painter Ron Francis (b. 1954). But that’s okay, I’ve been down a rabbit hole ever since and I’m having a wonderful time here.

I consider Francis to be somewhat of an opposite to Edward Hopper, where Hopper’s paintings are often powerful, nostalgic and inviting (like a calm and sunny Sunday morning in the summer), Francis’ paintings give me something else entirely. His work combines tension with surrealism and realism. And a dash of thriller. Looking at his work, I often get the feeling that I shouldn’t be there. As if I’ve accidentally walked in to the wrong room at a party.

My first instinct is to turn around and get the fuck outta there, but then a question creeps in: What is actually going on here?
And so I stay.

Kate (2022)

That’s what draws me to Francis’ painting Kate. Francis makes me feel as though I’ve stepped into a moment that was already unfolding before me and my nosy self arrived. I’m looking, speculating and piecing together my own version of events. The painting doesn’t hand me even the tiniest of explanation and… I like that. His paintings invite you to reflect and dare you to think outside the box. There’s so much to discover in the details, but what impresses me most is his ability to create a particular feeling in the viewer. A sense of tension that I feel while looking at his work of art. I become an investigator more than an observer, perhaps even an intruder.

Every single one of his paintings offers another little mystery and another scene I want to step into. Oh my, are they an experience! I may not always know what I’m witnessing, but I’m certainly not bored. While Kate gets the spotlight in this blog post, I’ve included a few more of Francis’ paintings that have caught my eye. Consider this a small invitation to join me down the rabbit hole.

Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself staying in that strange room a little longer than intended.

Hope (2024)

The beginning of a great love story, aaw!

Girl with a pick

Whaaaat muuuurdaaaaaaahh?

Dad

Hi?

Under the house

How I found out

The long goodbye

”In a dream, I had to be away from home for a couple of years because of war.
The time seemed to be around the second world war, and although I hadn’t fought, I had returned home
to find it desolated, as if it had been abandoned while I was away.
Inside I found my wife who had died long ago.
This is probably one of the most technically difficult paintings I have done.”

Ghost Valley

This painting reminds me of when my best friend told me that one of her cousins, when he was a small child, used to see a ghost in the shape of an older man quite frequently whenever they would visit their summer house. The ghost would sometimes also sit on the roof, but would at the same time just look at him.
Isn’t it beautiful?!

All images are from Ron Francis’ website.
© All rights to the images, music, clips, and other materials used belong to their respective owners. I do not claim ownership over any third-party content used. This post and website is for appreciation purposes only.

Other artworks that I’ve written about: Lover of art
Botticellis La Primavera
In a roman osteria
La cama Inglesa
Judith beheading Holofernes
Anguish