Today we’d like to introduce you to Francesca Bandino.
Hi Francesca, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I’m a Fine Artist and a Spiritual Medium.
I was born in Sardinia, Italy, and raised in New Jersey by two parents who are talented artists, though they never pursued art professionally. Although creating was a natural part of my everyday life, my family didn’t notice that I had talent; however, I was fortunate to find public school art teachers who saw what I hadn’t yet seen in myself, who gave me formal instruction and allowed me to use their empty classroom during my lunch periods.
Despite my art teachers’ best efforts to get me to apply to art school, I chose a different university path and then worked hard at a career that wasn’t right for me. I avoided making art for most of my twenties, but in 2016 I got back in touch with my creative self and decided it was time to start my art business. In 2017 I took an art business course to learn how to build my business. That same year I created my first four painting collections and began showing and selling my work at outdoor art shows and indoor exhibitions. I now sell my paintings through my website and other venues.
My spiritual beliefs and practice have influenced my artmaking in meaningful ways. Since 2020 I have been giving Medium Readings to other people. Through my spiritual work, I have discovered art to be an extension of spiritual practice. Although art doesn’t necessarily fulfill a tangible need, it does bring abundance into our lives by adding happiness, curiosity, vision, thought, awareness, and love.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I do two very unconventional things, so I absolutely would not describe it as a smooth road. I had pretty thick skin before I started on this path, and it has grown thicker since. From the beginning, I have received unrequested advice about other career paths I could take, suggesting that I hadn’t chosen a real and sustainable career.
Owning and running businesses are never easy, especially when you’re learning so much through trial and error along the way. I have always accepted the challenges in exchange for doing two things that bring me joy. There’s so much magic in being able to put my creations and my gifts out into the world. It’s been worth the effort!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
While I create both representational and abstract paintings, the essence of my art is rich, brilliant, intense color. I visited San Diego twice in the first years of my art career, which inspired a whole series of tropical flowers and desert plants, and I am best known for these. I eventually moved to this place of inspiration and am so happy to be close to the flowers and plants that continue to inspire me with their varied hues and intriguing shapes.
I’m currently completing the final painting in my Spirituality series, which expresses my experiences with Spirit as a Medium. The most challenging part of expressing Spirit through painting has been turning something intangible into something tangible so that others can understand what I see, hear, and feel. It’s been amazing to witness people see their own experiences with Spirit depicted in my paintings.
Regularly putting my artwork out for others to see is an act of courage. I believe that artmaking is an intimate act which challenges me to express the deepest parts of my personality and feelings. Sometimes this means that I put personal stories out there, leaving me open to criticism and judgment. On the other hand, it also allows me to form connections with people I otherwise wouldn’t have known and hopefully bring a painting into their home that heals, inspires, or excites them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.francescabandino.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/francescabandino_art/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrancescaBandinoArt
- Other: https://www.francescabandino.com/snail-mail-signup
Image Credits
First image – Clara Wang Photography
All other images – Francesca Bandino
