Nick Francisco
2019 Featured Artist
Art on the River is pleased to welcome Nicholas Ryan Francisco as the Featured Artist for the 2019 event.
Nick was born on March 21, 1990 at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan. His parents share that as a small child he was a hand full to say the least. He always wanted two of everything; one for each hand. He would throw books out of hs crib and playpen like Frisbees. Apparently he did not like to read and preferred coloring on the walls.
He started his art career at the age of seven. Nick’s grandmother, Wilma Lenz, was a professional artist and they would work on art projects together in her studio. Her guidance, along with the art classes his mother enrolled him in, are the reasons he’s an artist today. However, at the age of twelve he slowly stopped pursuing his passions in art. He did a few good drawings at Port Huron High School’s art class that were exhibited at St. Clair County Community College’s art show. Nick shares that he has no idea why he stopped drawing, but it took fourteen years to start painting again.
While attending his last year at CMU, studying Business Information Systems, he felt like he was wasting a lot of his free time on unrewarding hobbies. Nick would spend hours watching TV shows on Netflix, and then he found Bob Ross’ show The Joy of Painting. After watching his show Nick decided that he should give it a shot considering he had all this free time, and all of his grandmothers art supplies left to him after her passing three years pior to this decision. It all came back to him very quickly and his friends and family started commissioning art from him. Later that year a painting was accepted in the CMU art show. He was very proud, especially considering almost all of the art accepted was done by Art Majors. Nick’s was the only one that was listed as Business Information Systems Major. After graduating, his friend Matt Wilcox asked if he could do a painting on old pallet wood. He gave it a shot and it turned out great. From there he started working with acrylics, as well as the oils he was used to.
Nick currently lives in Port Huron, which he considers his home town. He draws inspiration from his travels. Places such as Alaska, Bahamas, Colorado, Virginia, Florida, and Yellowstone National Park. He would consider his specialty to be oil or acrylic paintings on canvas or pallet wood, focusing on landscapes and animals, but he has done murals on indoor walls, crafted and painted wine racks, painted custom outdoor horse shoe pits and sculptures. That being said, he is always looking to try new things to challenge himself artistically.
Nick will be available throughout Art on the River this year, painting a very special painting commissioned specifically for the event. Several of Nick’s pieces will be available to purchase as well.
Nick was born on March 21, 1990 at Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan. His parents share that as a small child he was a hand full to say the least. He always wanted two of everything; one for each hand. He would throw books out of hs crib and playpen like Frisbees. Apparently he did not like to read and preferred coloring on the walls.
He started his art career at the age of seven. Nick’s grandmother, Wilma Lenz, was a professional artist and they would work on art projects together in her studio. Her guidance, along with the art classes his mother enrolled him in, are the reasons he’s an artist today. However, at the age of twelve he slowly stopped pursuing his passions in art. He did a few good drawings at Port Huron High School’s art class that were exhibited at St. Clair County Community College’s art show. Nick shares that he has no idea why he stopped drawing, but it took fourteen years to start painting again.
While attending his last year at CMU, studying Business Information Systems, he felt like he was wasting a lot of his free time on unrewarding hobbies. Nick would spend hours watching TV shows on Netflix, and then he found Bob Ross’ show The Joy of Painting. After watching his show Nick decided that he should give it a shot considering he had all this free time, and all of his grandmothers art supplies left to him after her passing three years pior to this decision. It all came back to him very quickly and his friends and family started commissioning art from him. Later that year a painting was accepted in the CMU art show. He was very proud, especially considering almost all of the art accepted was done by Art Majors. Nick’s was the only one that was listed as Business Information Systems Major. After graduating, his friend Matt Wilcox asked if he could do a painting on old pallet wood. He gave it a shot and it turned out great. From there he started working with acrylics, as well as the oils he was used to.
Nick currently lives in Port Huron, which he considers his home town. He draws inspiration from his travels. Places such as Alaska, Bahamas, Colorado, Virginia, Florida, and Yellowstone National Park. He would consider his specialty to be oil or acrylic paintings on canvas or pallet wood, focusing on landscapes and animals, but he has done murals on indoor walls, crafted and painted wine racks, painted custom outdoor horse shoe pits and sculptures. That being said, he is always looking to try new things to challenge himself artistically.
Nick will be available throughout Art on the River this year, painting a very special painting commissioned specifically for the event. Several of Nick’s pieces will be available to purchase as well.
Grant for Nick Francisco and Art on the River given by
Earl Robinette 2018 Featured Artist
Earl Robinette was born December 31, 1935 in Clare, Michigan, the self-proclaimed gateway to Michigan’s North Country. He graduated from Clare High School in 1954 and attended Central Michigan University before and after a tour of duty in the Army. He received his Bachelor of Science in Education degree with a major in art in 1963. Earl began teaching art full time at Port Huron Junior College, later renamed St. Clair County Community College, Port Huron. Michigan in January 1963. In his early years at Port Huron Junior College, Earl was instrumental in creating the first ceramics program where students learned to throw pottery on a wheel and hand build pieces as well. Besides pottery, Earl taught drawing, painting with oils, acrylics and watercolors, and prepared other students for teaching art in schools. In 1968, Earl finished his Masters degree in Fine Art from Eastern Michigan University in drawing, painting and ceramics. Later, he completed 60 hours of postgraduate work at Wayne State University, Eastern Michigan University and Arrowmont School of Art in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Earl continued to refine and evolve his instruction, imparting 37 years of experience and wisdom to his students until his retirement in December of 2000.
Earl began painting at the age of five and eight decades later is still at it! Along the way, he’s developed a tremendous reputation and garnered a great deal of respect from his contemporaries as both a painter and potter. Earl’s life and vision have evolved over the past 82 years and can be seen through his words and work. His love of nature, wildlife, and the great outdoors are displayed in a great many of his paintings, drawings, and pottery. During his 37 years of teaching, Earl worked with thousands of budding artists of all ages. Many of his students went on to become teachers or to very successful careers as artists in both painting and ceramics.
Earl’s work can be found throughout the United States and Canada in many, many private collections. His awards in both painting and pottery are extensive and cover many years and many competitions in both the United States and Canada. His work has been showcased in several one man shows, in galleries throughout Michigan and Canada, and through tours in the United States. He was honored in 1993 by the Royal Water Color Society of England as an American representative in the People to People Exchange with a two and a half week tour of The Peoples Republic of China. There he met and painted with Chinese delegates, teachers, students and artists.
Today, Earl continues to reside in Michigan where his voyage continues to evolve in his studio through his paintings, drawings and pottery. Earl states:
“I have always had the need to create, to share, to let people see and experience some of the wonderful secluded places I have seen during my lifetime, as well as some not so secluded. In my travels through most of the United States, parts of Canada and China, I have met and seen thousands of people. What a wonderful experience it has been. Many of the people, no matter what nationality, race, or age, whether senior citizens, middle aged, or young (especially the little whippers), have left me with wonderful impressions of what truly good people are like.
I have always tried to express my love of life through my paintings; I just hope I’ve succeeded. My God has given me a gift to share with anyone who enjoys looking at my images. I love color and all nuances of colors. Color can make one feel many different emotions, whether it’s sad, happy, lonesome, nostalgic or even calm. Color creates shapes and can make objects come alive.
My inspiration comes at any moment day or night. In fact, many times I have awakened from dreams about a painting I had been working on and literally went to my studio in the middle of the night to paint.
The woods, the wildflowers, swamps, creeks, rivers and lakes are diamonds to my minds eye. The birds singing and the animals one sees are unequalted in their grace, sound and beauty. I thank God that he has given me the gift to share them with you.”
Art on the River is very honored to have Mr. Robinette join us for the 2018 event as our featured artist.
To see more about Mr. Robinette, visit www.earlrobinette.com
Earl began painting at the age of five and eight decades later is still at it! Along the way, he’s developed a tremendous reputation and garnered a great deal of respect from his contemporaries as both a painter and potter. Earl’s life and vision have evolved over the past 82 years and can be seen through his words and work. His love of nature, wildlife, and the great outdoors are displayed in a great many of his paintings, drawings, and pottery. During his 37 years of teaching, Earl worked with thousands of budding artists of all ages. Many of his students went on to become teachers or to very successful careers as artists in both painting and ceramics.
Earl’s work can be found throughout the United States and Canada in many, many private collections. His awards in both painting and pottery are extensive and cover many years and many competitions in both the United States and Canada. His work has been showcased in several one man shows, in galleries throughout Michigan and Canada, and through tours in the United States. He was honored in 1993 by the Royal Water Color Society of England as an American representative in the People to People Exchange with a two and a half week tour of The Peoples Republic of China. There he met and painted with Chinese delegates, teachers, students and artists.
Today, Earl continues to reside in Michigan where his voyage continues to evolve in his studio through his paintings, drawings and pottery. Earl states:
“I have always had the need to create, to share, to let people see and experience some of the wonderful secluded places I have seen during my lifetime, as well as some not so secluded. In my travels through most of the United States, parts of Canada and China, I have met and seen thousands of people. What a wonderful experience it has been. Many of the people, no matter what nationality, race, or age, whether senior citizens, middle aged, or young (especially the little whippers), have left me with wonderful impressions of what truly good people are like.
I have always tried to express my love of life through my paintings; I just hope I’ve succeeded. My God has given me a gift to share with anyone who enjoys looking at my images. I love color and all nuances of colors. Color can make one feel many different emotions, whether it’s sad, happy, lonesome, nostalgic or even calm. Color creates shapes and can make objects come alive.
My inspiration comes at any moment day or night. In fact, many times I have awakened from dreams about a painting I had been working on and literally went to my studio in the middle of the night to paint.
The woods, the wildflowers, swamps, creeks, rivers and lakes are diamonds to my minds eye. The birds singing and the animals one sees are unequalted in their grace, sound and beauty. I thank God that he has given me the gift to share them with you.”
Art on the River is very honored to have Mr. Robinette join us for the 2018 event as our featured artist.
To see more about Mr. Robinette, visit www.earlrobinette.com
