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BIO Statement

Francesco Fontana is a professional artist with many years experience in oil, watercolor, acrylic and dry media. After art school, he followed his dream and started his artist journey in bohemian Paris, as a portrait artist. In the years to follow, he exhibited his art in Italy and France and his paintings are now in many private collections in Europe, USA and Asia.
 
Since 2008 Francesco is the co-founder and director of Fare Pittura Atelier, based in Milan Italy, where he teaches regular classes, of watercolor, oil and life drawing. He travels intensivly as a workshop instructor and presenter. Frequent painting destinations include Provence, Paris, Giverny, Normandy, Sicily, Umbria, Puglia - Invitations include Bali, Indonesia, and USA. 
 
He's been a stage and field faculty member at the Plein Air Convention & Expo in Monterey, CA and Tucson, AZ also exhibiting in the expo space.

 

He exhibited three times at the American Watercolor Society International Exhibition in New York until becoming a Signature Member. At AWS he also won  the third prize out of 1300 applicants in 2022 with Breakfast in America -- among countless other awards in his career. 

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In 2019 he represented Italy with 19 other masters at Fabriano in Acquarello and since 2021 he's  among the international masters of the Monza Festival, one of the most prestigious in the world.

 

Fontana's been the juror, lecturer and workshop leader for the fall convention of the Watercolor Society of Oregon in 2016. Appearances in the press include Plein Air Magazine and Fine Art Connoisseur, The Art of Watercolor and The Artist -- UK. His DVD 'Watercolor the Italian Way -- The Alla Seconda Method' was released in 2016 by leading publisher Liliedhal in the USA. 


Francesco received his BFA in Palermo, Italy where he was born. He extended his education with further years of study with Italian Masters as Maiotti, Lissoni and Pelizzoni. Later he met several International artists who broadened his technique and vision remarkably. Francesco has started his career in Paris, has lived in London and is fluent in English and French as well as his native Italian. He's the loving father of two little girls: Teresa and Flora.

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A Lifetime Passion for Art

A Lifetime Passion for Art

Breakfast in America
Bronze Medal of Honor
AWS 2021 New York

Breakfast in America
Fontana_Francesco_Best Figure .png

Francesco Fontana

CV | Bio | Statement

 

Memberships & Signature Status

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  • AWS Signature Member — American Watercolor Society, New York, NY

  • NWS Signature Member — National Watercolor Society, Los Angeles, CA

  • MPA Faculty — Milano Painting Academy, Italy

 

Awards, Honors, & Prizes

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  • 2025: Semi Finalist, Target International Prize (for The Shoes Beside and Subway People)

  • 2021: Bronze Medal of Honor, 154th American Watercolor Society (AWS) Exhibition

  • 2021: Best Figure and Portrait, Plein Air Salon, March

  • 2021: Finalist, Plein Air Salon Annual Grand Prize

  • 2021: APT Group Critique Award, San Diego Watercolor Society 41st International Exhibition, June

  • 2018: Winner, 1st Place, Monreale Sicily Plein Air Festival, September

  • 2017: The Joe Carmichael Award Winner, National Watercolor Society (NWS), June

  • 2017: Best Overall Watercolor Winner, Plein Air Salon, July (The Shop Window)

  • 2016: Master Class Prize Winner, Art Muse Contest, November (The Art Lover)

  • 2016: Top 15%, Bold Brush Painting Competition, November (The Installation)

 

Select Juried & Group Exhibitions

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  • 2024: National Watercolor Society (NWS) International Exhibition, Los Angeles, CA (October)

  • 2024: San Diego Watercolor Society International Exhibition, San Diego, CA (September)

  • 2023: National Watercolor Society (NWS) International Exhibition, Los Angeles, CA (October)

  • 2022: American Watercolor Society (AWS) 155th International Exhibition, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY (April 11–30)

  • 2021: American Watercolor Society (AWS) 154th International Juried Exhibition, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY (April 13–30)

  • 2021: National Watercolor Society (NWS) Members Exhibition (May 1 – June)

  • 2019: National Watercolor Society (NWS) 99th International Juried Show, San Pedro, CA, USA (Oct 3 – Nov 17)

  • 2019: Philadelphia Watercolor Society (PWS) International Show, Philadelphia, PA, USA (Aug 31 – Oct 26)

  • 2018: Finalist Exhibition, International Watercolor Prize, Galleria Esdé, Cagliari, Italy (November)

  • 2017: Royal Society of Marine Artists Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London, UK (Oct 4–15)

  • 2017: Royal Watercolor Society Exhibition, Bankside Gallery, London, UK (March)

  • 2017: Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, TX, USA (February)

  • 2017: International Show, City of Bengigamin, Valencia, Spain (January)

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Select Solo Exhibitions

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  • 2024: Genius Loci, Galleria Caravello, Palermo, Italy (Nov 6 – Dec 7)

  • 2018: Solo Show, La Comune, Milan, Italy (Oct / Nov)

 

Collections & Corporate Commissions

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  • 2025: Thirteen Original Paintings for the Calendar 2026 of Sofidel Inc. 60th Anniversary

  • 2025: Original Paintings provided for luxury Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, Taormina

  • 2024: Two paintings included in the Almenara Art Prize Collection

  • 2018: Paintings featured as Interior Design on the Prime Time RAI 1 TV Series 'La Compagnia del Cigno'

  • 2016: Permanent Oeuvre at Museo della Carta, Premio Marche d’Acqua, Fabriano

 

Teaching & Workshops

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  • 2023-2025: Faculty of Contemporary Watercolor Course, Milano Painting Academy, Italy (three academic years)

  • 2022: Dallas, TX, USA Watercolor Workshop, Southwest Watercolor Society (April)

  • 2022: Online Workshop with Shopkeepeasy.com (August)

  • 2022: Master Demo at Watercolor Live (January)

  • 2019: Giverny, France w/c Workshop, 7th edition (July 22 — 27)

  • 2019: Valencia, Spain, w/c Workshop (July 2 — 9)

  • 2019: Palermo, Sicily w/c Workshop (May 22 – 27)

  • 2018: Workshop in Valencia, Spain (October 8 – 12)

  • 2018: Workshop in Sidmouth, East Devon, UK (June)

  • 2017: Watercolor Workshop ‘Alla Seconda’, Padova, Italy (December 10, 11)

  • 2017: Workshop in East Devon, UK, Watercolor in One Stroke (October 4, 5, 6)

  • 2017: Workshop in Valencia, Spain, Watercolor in One Stroke (September 10 – 16)

  • 2016: Faculty, 5th Plein Air Convention & Expo, Tucson, AZ (April 15 — 19)

  • 2016: Workshop at MISA Madeline Island School of Arts , WI (Aug 29 — Sep 2)

  • 2016: Workshop in Giverny, France, by Monet’s Lily Pond (June 27 —July 2)

  • 2015: Faculty, 4th Plein Air Convention & Expo, Monterey, CA (April)

 

Public Demos, Lectures, & Press
 

  • 2023: Exhibiting and performing artist at International festival Watercolor on the Way of Grand Tour, Frascati, Rome (June 1-11)

  • 2022: Live interview and Demo as Brand Ambassador of Daniel Smith Watercolors (April 4)

  • 2022: Master Artist, Monza International Watercolor Festival, Italy (May 28 - 30)

  • 2022: Article in Outdoor Painter (January)

  • 2021: Exhibiting and Demo Artist, Monza Acquerello International Festival, Italy (May 28-30)

  • 2021: Online Conversation with Tanta Tinta Argentina (October)

  • 2020: Podcast Interview with Eric Rhoads on Outdoorpainter.com

  • 2020: Live Demo & Interview with Eric Rhoads Publisher FB (September 23)

  • 2020: Artist of the Day, DVD Recorded Live (September 13)

  • 2020: Guest at Plein Air Live Publisher talk show (July)

  • 2020: Speaker at Go with the Flow Global Watercolor Conversation (June)

  • 2020: Featured as top Watercolor Artist in Plein Air Magazine (June)

  • 2020: Article on American Watercolor Weekly (April, November)

  • 2019: Interview on American Watercolor Weekly (December)

  • 2019: Invited as one of Italy's 20 Representative Masters, Fabriano in Acquerello International Festival (April)

  • 2019: Featured on Plein Air Magazine, USA (March)

  • 2019: Featured on The Artist Magazine, UK (January)

  • 2018: Featured on The Art of Watercolour, world #1 watercolor magazine, Paris (December)

  • 2018: Demo Article for Daniel Smith Fine Art Supplies (June)

  • 2018: Article on American Watercolor Weekly (February)

  • 2017: Featured in Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine (Nocturne, August/September; Industrial, November/December)

  • 2017: Featured Artist at En Plein Air Festival, San Angelo, TX, USA (October 22 - 29)

  • 2016: Extended Article on Watercolor Painting Process on The Artist Magazine, UK (September)

  • 2016: Judge and Instructor at Watercolor Society of Oregon Conference (October 7 – 14)

  • 2016: Featured Artist at Door County Plein Air Festival, WI (July 24 – 30)

  • 2016: Featured Artist at Lighthouse Plein Air Festival, Florida (March 9 — 13)

  • 2016: DVD Release ‘Watercolor the Italian Way — Alla Seconda Method’ (April 15)

Vita
Statement Bio
Human business and the street spirit
 

My artistic vision is rooted in a bohemian nomadism, shaped by early life experiences in Palermo, Paris, and London. This background established an unbreakable bond between life and art, serving as a demanding school for the human figure—the central focus of my work.

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I am driven to capture the spirit of a place through the humanity pulsating in its lesser-known corners. This quest culminates in the Street Business series, which focuses on individuals earning their lives on the street. These figures are urban anchors, their presence acting as a profound social testimony and an expression of human dignity, mirroring my own early years as a street artist.

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I realize this vision in watercolor, which I utilize as a complete art form due to its technical demands. My technique uses transparency and glazing to activate luminosity and build complexity, capturing the raw intensity of contemporary reality. I invite the viewer to look past the architecture to find the quiet beauty, mystery, and resilience of the people often invisible to the hurried eye.

CV
Statement
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