Dean R. Francis
Dean Francis and wife Fran reside near the South Saskatchewan River, 12 miles east of Empress, Alberta, surrounded by the land and wildlife that inspire his art. Dean began painting full time in 1978.
In 1996 he & Fran began developing Sagebrush Studios, a Home/Studio set within 20 acres of Landscaped Prairie. This has grown to include 3 old restored churches: one seasonal gallery in 2001, one working studio in 2006, and another gallery completed in 2009. Each spring since 2001, around 500 guests attend the annual open house/artist reception, to enjoy all the new paintings which fill the three churches. With ever changing Gardens and Water Features, visitors are provided with a unique experience of Art and Nature. Dean’s website was established in 2002.
Dean spends as much time as possible outdoors observing, photographing, and recording life studies for his landscape and wildlife reference material. This understanding of the land is reflected in his paintings, using a rich array of color, form and texture. He has become a well known landscape and wildlife artist, known for capturing in ‘oil on canvas’, the light, diversity, and beauty of the Western Canadian Prairies.
Dean has been showing in solo and group shows for 30 years, with numerous Galleries and Art Shows in Saskatchewan: Saskatoon, Kindersley, Regina; Alberta: Lacombe, Calgary, Banff, Medicine Hat; U.S.A.: Bozeman-Montana, Great Falls-Montana, Jackson-Wyoming, and has attended a booth at the Calgary Stampede Western Art Sales Salon, each year since 2000. He has done many private commissions, public murals and Dioramas for the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Regina. A recipient of numerous recognitions, newspaper and magazine articles, Dean was also featured in Nov. of 2007 on the Regina based ‘Prairie Farm Report’ TV show. His paintings are enjoyed in both Public, Corporate and Private Collections throughout Canada, USA, Europe, and Australia.
Frances M. Francis
Fran Francis resides with husband Dean, East of Empress, Alta, at Sagebrush Studios. She took Fine Arts through U of S extension classes and opened her art studio in 1993, painting and working in clay, doing shows and teaching local Art classes. She also worked at a Gallery & Frame Shop from 1997 through 99. In 2000, Fran and Dean opened their own gallery. Fran has since been showing her ‘Prairie Pots’ with great success alongside Dean’s paintings, and has developed a strong following of collectors.
The Clay works are inspired by nature; Colors of the earth, textures of stones, accents of leather, antlers, feathers, fossils, and other found objects. They are decorative and non-functional, retaining a natural looking surface, usually unglazed, stained, carved or decorated in some way. The works range widely in size, shape, and theme, and have been described as looking ‘from an ancient dig’.