Francesca Noto

I am a child of both the material world and the world unseen. My art is a physical expression of ideas that I have absorbed in my midst, sieved through my heart, and made into an object. My images are born from being an avid reader, a humble listener, an observer, avessel of empathy, a part of a larger whole.   I create tangible objects from the materials that belong to the physical earth: pigments, clay, stone, wood, plant fibers, oils and resins. In my hands, these materials are tools that transform matter into vehicles of expression. I sculpt clay and carve stone. I draw and paint. Through technique and constant experimentation, I manipulate these materials to tell stories, convey emotions, and create fields of energy and light that vibrate within and project from the objects.   My artwork is also a product of a very personal intellectual journey. I allot a great deal of time doing research in libraries and museums gleaning as much “reliable” information as possible so I may have a deeper understanding of my subjects. The areas I tap for such information include anthropology (including archeology) various fields of science, as well as mythological, religious and historical sources. Being with Nature is also a very significant part in  developing my internal reservoir. In the process of doing this research, I am all the while reflecting within myself. Subsequently, I pass on what I have internalized in the form of my artwork. So in addition to making physical “studies” in the form of preparatory sketches or maquettes, I also conduct studies in an intellectual capacity.   I am presently working on an open-ended series titled Women in the Ancient World. In my mind’s eye, there is no absolute line that can define the real and imagined when it comes to understanding stories of old. History is prejudiced, and physical remains are clouded with our current view of life and the world. However, I propose that interpretation is a kind of truth, and also there can be more than one truth. I put myself in the place of the woman I am depicting and try to imagine what her life was like, what were her experiences, how other people regarded her, what she may have felt. My works are tinted with my own feminine perspective and personal experiences as I attempt to understand the soul or essence behind that woman of the past whom was so extraordinary a person that her story will not be forgotten. In this spirit, I dedicate myself to making art that will inspire others.

Masters of Fine Arts Graduated May 2007 Concentration in Historical Painting and Drawing Techniques New York Academy of Art   History of Painting and Drawing Techniques: Florentine, Venetian, Egg Tempera, Fresco, Large Scale Works, Various other  Drawing and Painting techniques Intensive Training in Studies of Human Anatomy: Anatomical Drawing, Painting, Ecorché (sculpture) Independent Research Studies Copy the Masters Class at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City Illuminated Manuscripts Techniques under Professor Edward Schmidt   School of Visual Arts New York Stone Carving Spring 2012   The University of Medicine and Dentistry in Newark, New Jersey Spring 2005 and 2012 Human Dissection workshop for purposes of Anatomical Study   Art Students League of New YorkAutumn 2000-2004 Drawing and Painting under Robert Cenedella (protégé of George Grosz) Stone Carving under Seiji Saito (present) Autumn 2010-2012 Plaster Casting and Mold Making (Steven Mader)   Bachelor of Arts in Biological AnthropologyGraduated January 2001 Minor in Film and Media studies Hunter College of the City University of New York Participated in an independent study course in Hunter College’s HTRU (Hard Tissue Research Unit). Developed a protocol for the cleaning, embedding, and staining of bone tissue specimens. Post-graduate studies in drawing and biology Experience in screenwriting, acting, and production for numerous short films and plays Selected for participation in the following international study programs   Semester Abroad Program in Rome (Italy) Notre Dame University Summer Abroad in Madrid (Spain) Saint Mary’s College Intercambio Summer Program in Mexico University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana