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Biography

Frances Alty-Arscott was born in Edmonton, Alberta in 1956. Frances possessed a love of painting from an early age which led her to enter Art College while still in elementary school. Upon graduation from Victoria Composite High School in 1976, she entered the University of Alberta Fine Arts program and graduated in 1980 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Since this time Frances has continued her professional development through attendance at various seminars and through workshops at the Emma Lake School in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.

Her love of painting and her commitment to use her skills and education have led Frances to pursue Art exclusively as her vocation. Frances currently paints full-time and teaches courses and workshops in which she encourages innovation in watercolour.

Artist's Statement:

My paintings are inspired by the rolling countryside and the sparse woodlands of Alberta. I do not paint specific scenes so much as take the elements I see and attempt to portray my impressions on the paper.

The watercolour medium, enhanced by drawing technique, lends itself superbly to such interpretation. I attempt to recreate Alberta's subtle colours with open washes and then, to create tension within the work, I use juxtaposition of colour in a manner similar to colour field. I believe my use of colour has been central to the success of my work.

I find watercolour an amazing medium. I love working with the physical properties of water, the dripping and the running together, trying to manipulate it to create an image. Absolute control over the water is impossible and, as such, the "accident" becomes central to the work. It is a challenge to build from a "good" accident while staying in control and remaining within the framework of one's style. However, I believe the spontaneity this brings to the creative process is unrivaled in other mediums.