About Fran Simon
I’ve always been a bit of a visual risk-taker.
My art journey probably began in nursery school when a teacher handed me a coloring page and told me to color inside the lines. That would not do. I crumpled the page and asked for a blank sheet of paper so I could make my own image.
I didn’t realize it then, but resisting the expected was already shaping how I would approach both art and life.
The Detour
After studying art in high school at the Alabama School of Fine Arts and beginning college as a painting major, I lost confidence and changed direction. I earned a BA and M.Ed. in early childhood education and spent more than thirty years working in that field. I was still creating in many ways, but I wasn’t making much art.
Returning to Painting
In 2013 my life changed dramatically. After decades of managing a chronic degenerative heart condition, I received the gift of a heart transplant. Recovery was long, but it also brought clarity. I felt pulled back to painting, and returning to the studio felt less like starting over and more like reconnecting with something essential.
Since 2016 I’ve worked steadily in painting, collage, and gel printing, producing hundreds of pieces — along with many necessary experiments. The process begins playfully, with exploration and risk, and gradually moves toward a balance that feels right (or sometimes stops when the surprise itself is enough).
How Observing Children Shaped My Approach
My years working with young children continue to influence my approach. Young children create with zeal and abandon, free from fear of getting it wrong. Their feelings show up on the page as honestly as they do in their actions and words. In the studio, I try to keep that same openness, allowing intuition lead, and resisting the urge to over-control the work. I want the paintings to remain open so viewers can find their own connections and responses.
Why I Continue
I create for the joy of discovery. The simple question what would happen if… wakes me up in the morning and continues to fuel my evolution as an artist.
I am a Maryland-based artist in the Washington, DC area and an active member of the Montgomery Art Association and other local arts communities. My work has been exhibited in regional juried and member exhibitions and at The Artists Gallery (TAG) in Frederick, Maryland.
I hope the work invites you to look, wonder, and make a personal connection.
Ode to My Gifts
This painting, Ode to My Gifts (part of my personal collection), was created near the beginning of my return to art. It holds my gratitude for my organ donor, my family, and the renewed ability to fully embrace life and make art.
The piece was inspired by an evening of music, dancing, and beach life — an experience I would not have had without my new heart and my husband’s support. The overlapping forms suggest our hearts entwined and the presence of my donor’s spirit within the work.
Contact
I love to talk. I especially love to talk about art.
Contact me to arrange a visit, inquire about purchasing a piece (or many), tell me something you like or dislike about my work, or collaborations.
I would love to connect with other artists who are interested in creating together either virtually or in the Washington, DC metro area.