Vita
Dopo il liceo artistico a Palermo, Francesco Fontana inizia la sua avventura d'artista a Parigi come ritrattista negli anni ’80. Ha esordito in gallerie parigine e i suoi dipinti sono oggi in collezioni private in Europa, USA e Asia.
Dal 2008 è il co-fondatore e direttore di Fare Pittura Atelier, con sede a Milano. E’ molto attivo a livello internazionale. Ad oggi è l’unico italiano nella docenza della Plein Air Convention & Expo (Las Vegas, Monterey, Tucson) dove tiene dimostrazioni sul palco ed en plein air. E’ ospite in festival o ha istruito laboratori in Florida, Arizona, Wisconsin, Oregon, Texas e oltre. Ha tenuto innumerevoli workshop in Provenza, Parigi, Giverny, Normandia, Sicilia, Umbria, Puglia e fino a Bali, Indonesia.
Ha esposto tre volte alla mostra internazionale dell’American Watercolor Society a New York fino a diventarne Signature Member dopo aver vinto (tra innumerevoli altri riconoscimenti) il terzo premio su 1300 candidati nel 2022 con Breakfast in America.
Nel 2019 ha rappresentato l'Italia con altri 19 maestri a Fabriano in Acquerello e dal 2021 è tra i masters del Festival di Monza, tra i più prestigiosi al mondo.
E’ presente su riviste leader come The Art of Watercolour, Fine Art Connoisseur e Plein Air Magazine. Quest'ultima ha premiato la sua opera Wings — della serie ‘aeroportuale’ Lives in Transit. The Artist UK Magazine gli dedica quattro pagine nell’ottobre 2016. Per la stessa rivista continuerà sa scrivere articoli negli anni seguenti. Negli USA per Streamline il suo DVD Instructional ‘Painting Watercolor the Italian Way — The Alla Seconda Method, with Italian Master Francesco Fontana.
Dopo studi di architettura ha esteso la sua formazione a bottega da maestri italiani come Maiotti, Lissoni e Pelizzoni. Ha praticato con diversi artisti internazionali che hanno ampliato notevolmente la sua tecnica e la sua visione.
Francesco parla e insegna correntemente in inglese e francese. E’ nato a Palermo ed ha casa e studio a Milano. E' padre di due splendide ragazze: Teresa e Flora.
Artist Statement
Spirito di strada o dell’arte di vivere.
La mia visione artistica affonda le radici in un nomadismo bohémien, plasmato dalle esperienze giovanili vissute tra Palermo, Parigi e Londra. Questo background ha stretto un legame indissolubile tra vita e arte, diventando una scuola rigorosa e una fonte d’ispirazione sulla figura umana, fulcro centrale della mia ricerca degli anni recenti.
Il mio obiettivo è catturare l'anima di un luogo attraverso l'umanità che pulsa nei suoi angoli meno conosciuti. Questa ricerca culmina nella serie "Street Business", dedicata a chi si guadagna da vivere in strada. Queste figure sono vere e proprie ancore urbane: la loro presenza funge da profonda testimonianza sociale ed espressione di dignità umana, rispecchiando i miei primi anni vissuti come artista di strada.
Esprimo questa visione attraverso l'acquerello, che considero una forma d'arte completa per via della sua complessità tecnica. La mia tecnica sfrutta trasparenze e velature per attivare la luminosità e stratificare il racconto, catturando l'intensità cruda della realtà contemporanea. Invito l'osservatore a guardare oltre l'architettura, per scoprire la bellezza silenziosa, il mistero e la resilienza di persone che spesso restano invisibili all'occhio frettoloso.
A Lifetime Passion for Art
Francesco Fontana
CV| Vita
Memberships & Signature Status
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AWS Signature Member — American Watercolor Society, New York, NY
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NWS Signature Member — National Watercolor Society, Los Angeles, CA
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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)
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2021: Bronze Medal of Honor, 154th American Watercolor Society (AWS) Exhibition
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2021: Best Figure and Portrait, Plein Air Salon, March
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2021: Finalist, Plein Air Salon Annual Grand Prize
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2021: APT Group Critique Award, San Diego Watercolor Society 41st International Exhibition, June
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2018: Winner, 1st Place, Monreale Sicily Plein Air Festival, September
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2017: The Joe Carmichael Award Winner, National Watercolor Society (NWS), June
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2017: Best Overall Watercolor Winner, Plein Air Salon, July (The Shop Window)
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2016: Master Class Prize Winner, Art Muse Contest, November (The Art Lover)
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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)
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2024: San Diego Watercolor Society International Exhibition, San Diego, CA (September)
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2023: National Watercolor Society (NWS) International Exhibition, Los Angeles, CA (October)
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2022: American Watercolor Society (AWS) 155th International Exhibition, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY (April 11–30)
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2021: American Watercolor Society (AWS) 154th International Juried Exhibition, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY (April 13–30)
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2021: National Watercolor Society (NWS) Members Exhibition (May 1 – June)
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2019: National Watercolor Society (NWS) 99th International Juried Show, San Pedro, CA, USA (Oct 3 – Nov 17)
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2019: Philadelphia Watercolor Society (PWS) International Show, Philadelphia, PA, USA (Aug 31 – Oct 26)
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2018: Finalist Exhibition, International Watercolor Prize, Galleria Esdé, Cagliari, Italy (November)
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2017: Royal Society of Marine Artists Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London, UK (Oct 4–15)
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2017: Royal Watercolor Society Exhibition, Bankside Gallery, London, UK (March)
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2017: Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, TX, USA (February)
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2017: International Show, City of Bengigamin, Valencia, Spain (January)
Select Solo Exhibitions
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2024: Genius Loci, Galleria Caravello, Palermo, Italy (Nov 6 – Dec 7)
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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
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2025: Original Paintings provided for luxury Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, Taormina
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2024: Two paintings included in the Almenara Art Prize Collection
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2018: Paintings featured as Interior Design on the Prime Time RAI 1 TV Series 'La Compagnia del Cigno'
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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)
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2022: Dallas, TX, USA Watercolor Workshop, Southwest Watercolor Society (April)
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2022: Online Workshop with Shopkeepeasy.com (August)
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2022: Master Demo at Watercolor Live (January)
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2019: Giverny, France w/c Workshop, 7th edition (July 22 — 27)
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2019: Valencia, Spain, w/c Workshop (July 2 — 9)
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2019: Palermo, Sicily w/c Workshop (May 22 – 27)
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2018: Workshop in Valencia, Spain (October 8 – 12)
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2018: Workshop in Sidmouth, East Devon, UK (June)
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2017: Watercolor Workshop ‘Alla Seconda’, Padova, Italy (December 10, 11)
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2017: Workshop in East Devon, UK, Watercolor in One Stroke (October 4, 5, 6)
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2017: Workshop in Valencia, Spain, Watercolor in One Stroke (September 10 – 16)
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2016: Faculty, 5th Plein Air Convention & Expo, Tucson, AZ (April 15 — 19)
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2016: Workshop at MISA Madeline Island School of Arts , WI (Aug 29 — Sep 2)
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2016: Workshop in Giverny, France, by Monet’s Lily Pond (June 27 —July 2)
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2015: Faculty, 4th Plein Air Convention & Expo, Monterey, CA (April)
Public Demos, Lectures, & Press
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2023: Exhibiting and performing artist at International festival Watercolor on the Way of Grand Tour, Frascati, Rome (June 1-11)
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2022: Live interview and Demo as Brand Ambassador of Daniel Smith Watercolors (April 4)
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2022: Master Artist, Monza International Watercolor Festival, Italy (May 28 - 30)
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2022: Article in Outdoor Painter (January)
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2021: Exhibiting and Demo Artist, Monza Acquerello International Festival, Italy (May 28-30)
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2021: Online Conversation with Tanta Tinta Argentina (October)
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2020: Podcast Interview with Eric Rhoads on Outdoorpainter.com
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2020: Live Demo & Interview with Eric Rhoads Publisher FB (September 23)
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2020: Artist of the Day, DVD Recorded Live (September 13)
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2020: Guest at Plein Air Live Publisher talk show (July)
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2020: Speaker at Go with the Flow Global Watercolor Conversation (June)
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2020: Featured as top Watercolor Artist in Plein Air Magazine (June)
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2020: Article on American Watercolor Weekly (April, November)
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2019: Interview on American Watercolor Weekly (December)
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2019: Invited as one of Italy's 20 Representative Masters, Fabriano in Acquerello International Festival (April)
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2019: Featured on Plein Air Magazine, USA (March)
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2019: Featured on The Artist Magazine, UK (January)
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2018: Featured on The Art of Watercolour, world #1 watercolor magazine, Paris (December)
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2018: Demo Article for Daniel Smith Fine Art Supplies (June)
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2018: Article on American Watercolor Weekly (February)
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2017: Featured in Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine (Nocturne, August/September; Industrial, November/December)
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2017: Featured Artist at En Plein Air Festival, San Angelo, TX, USA (October 22 - 29)
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2016: Extended Article on Watercolor Painting Process on The Artist Magazine, UK (September)
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2016: Judge and Instructor at Watercolor Society of Oregon Conference (October 7 – 14)
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2016: Featured Artist at Door County Plein Air Festival, WI (July 24 – 30)
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2016: Featured Artist at Lighthouse Plein Air Festival, Florida (March 9 — 13)
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2016: DVD Release ‘Watercolor the Italian Way — Alla Seconda Method’ (April 15)