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| Frané with framed illustrations from the Retrospective exhibition 50 Books in 40 Years |
I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the children's book industry's most renowned authors. When some of these greats passed on, I decided to organise a retrospective to pay tribute to their contribution to my career by gifting me their extraordinary words.
The Retrospective showcases one piece of original artwork from 50 of my books released over the past four decades - from the waterfalls and ravines of the Caribbean to the starry skies of the Milky Way in North America to explore the ancient wonders of my adopted homeland, Australia. The exhibition takes visitors on a journey around the world via the people, communities and places featured throughout my books that celebrate, empower, and inspire young children to discover their own unique heritage and explore cultures that exist outside of their own.
My career started by chance, on a trip to a little island of Montserrat in the Caribbean. The people, the way of life and the brightly coloured houses inspired me to pick up a brush and paint. To my surprise, tourists and rock stars recording on the Emerald Isle wanted to purchase my distinctive naïve art, and those first paintings are still treasured in private collections in many countries. My desire to share the island's beauty with people all over the world resulted in the first book in the Retrospective - My Little Island. That book led to several more books that celebrate the people and the islands of the Caribbean.
Since then, my books have brought to life stories from Papua New Guinea, Polynesian folktales, West African creation stories and traditional tales from southern India and Nigeria. The stories have taken readers into poor neighbourhoods in Los Angeles, into the White House in Washington and down the Mississippi River. More recently, my Native American books, We Are Grateful: Ostaliheliga and We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know with Traci Sorrel, a Cherokee Nation citizen and author, have received the highest accolades in the US.
Putting together this exhibition made me contemplate how far I've come. Every book is always a challenge. With each new book, I always ask myself, how can I do my best to give the author’s text justice? But as I looked around the walls of the Retrospective, I was immensely proud of all the books and the sense of accomplishment hits home. To see all of one's life’s work in sequential order is uplifting. It showed the progression for the first time in a single space and was an opportunity for visitors to look back at a body of work produced over many years. The Retrospective was also timely as it coincided with the release of my 50th book, which presented an opportunity for the double reason for celebration - to open the exhibition and host the book launch. Our Country, Ancient Wonders, written by Mark Greenwood and published by Walker Books Australia, celebrates my adopted country of Australia’s remarkable natural treasures and wild wonders.
Gathering a piece of art from 50 books was not an easy task. Almost all of the illustrations from my Caribbean books have been sold in past exhibitions. Luckily, a painting from my first book, My Little Island, is as vivid as the day it was painted. My stepmother's house was decorated in Italian rococo, and my art was delegated to the basement - hence the gouache colours were kept out of sunlight and are as pristine today as the day I painted them. Other books or selected art have been donated to places like the De Grummond Collection in Mississippi and the State Library of West Australia. It's a great honour to know that the book's art and drafts will be looked after for perpetuity.
In an adjacent room in the gallery, I exhibited large-scale oil paintings that complement my books and document my love of travel. These paintings allowed me to stretch my wings, literally. Painting in oils makes me slow down, as they take so long to dry. The paintings in these rooms give viewers and myself permission to slow down and explore.
The costs of framing, creating a 50-book catalogue, hiring a gallery, and catering was way more than I expected. But by offering art, prints and books for sale, it was a worthwhile endeavour. Fortunately, one of the best children's bookshops globally, Paper Bird Books and Arts, is located next door to the Gallery. They were the official bookseller for the duration of the exhibition. I also conducted a series of Artist's talks, a Masterclass for adults and workshops for children. This has allowed me to interact with the community and a network of students, parents, teachers, librarians, and art lovers.
And now that the Retrospective is framed with a complimentary and comprehensive catalogue, I've received invitations for the exhibition to travel. The work will be displayed in a regional arts centre and the State Library in West Australia in the coming months.
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| A view of the exhibition |
The Retrospective exhibition and catalogue are available to view on Frané's website: www.franelessac.com
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Thanks, Frané! And congratulations on this amazing milestone and retrospective exhibition.
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