ABOUT
a brief history
Lili Francuz, a French-born American, is an abstract mixed media artist living in Northern Colorado. My parents and I immigrated in the fifties from France, not long after World War II. My father served in the Free French Forces of the Resistance as a paratrooper trained in England. He volunteered in the first Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army. They marched across France into Germany; he decided to immigrate to the US, with the encouragement of the GIs he had befriended.
I grew up in Idaho, where, for a few years, we were the only European immigrants in town. It was not until my mid-twenties that I began delving into university art classes, which led to two degrees. I explored textiles, painting, and printmaking. I come from a family that works with their hands: an ornamental iron maker, a chef, a hairstylist, a painter, and a craftsman.
Lili, Papa, Maman -1950s Idaho
My Artistic Journey
I am a Colorado-based contemporary artist. Over a rich, decades-long career, I have dedicated myself to both creating art and cultivating the creative community of the Mountain West.
Highlights
My collage works and paintings have been exhibited in group and juried exhibitions across the United States. My work is held in several permanent collections, including Kent State University, The Alliance Française in Denver, and Brush Creek Arts Foundation, WY, as well as the Stenberberg Group, Inc., St. Louis, MO
A Lifetime of Arts Leadership
My influence extends beyond my own studio. For over thirty years, I have worked behind the scenes as a curator, public arts administrator, and respected juror.
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Art Career: I served as the Art Curator for the Wyoming State Museum and spent sixteen years as the Visual Arts Specialist and Art in Public Buildings Coordinator for the Wyoming Arts Council; Executive Director, Firehouse Art Center, Norman, OK; Gallery Director, Alliance for the Varied Arts, Logan, UT
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Giving Back as a Juror & Panelist: I have been trusted to jury prestigious exhibitions and review grants across the country, serving as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA); YR Year 2000 Millennium Project (NEA) Mid-America-Atlantic Arts Foundation, Baltimore, MD; and Colorado Creative Industries. Panelist for arts councils in Kentucky, Nevada, Nebraska, Montana, Utah, Florida, Idaho, and West Virginia.
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Community Connection: I served on the Board of Directors for the Museum of Art Fort Collins and the city of Fort Collins Art Public Places board, CO; I am an active supporting member of Spark Gallery in Denver.
Education & Background
I hold an academic foundation in the fine arts, rooted in traditional printmaking and classical study abroad.
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Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Printmaking — Utah State University
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Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Magna Cum Laude — Utah State University
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International Study — Spent a year studying at La Sorbonne in Paris, France, through Central College, Pella, IA
In the Studio
Creative Process Unveiled
Transformation reveals unexpected possibilities. We are constantly tempted to recreate ourselves—layering clothing, makeup, color, or cosmetic alteration like paint on a canvas. But is there ever a final transformation? Or are we perpetually driven to uncover, alter, and seek yet another version of who we might be?
