Fran Jaffe is a nationally acclaimed artist born in Oak Park, Illinois and currently resides in Carbondale, Illinois. Fran is a self-taught artist. She began painting in 1995 after meeting an artist in Arizona who demonstrated the Australian Aboriginal dot art technique to her. Her inspiration has come from her many travels throughout America, India and the Middle East. She has a deep admiration of Tibetan thangkas and mandalas, Native American painting and beadwork, Australian Aboriginal art and the artisans who create such work. Her mission is to bring together spiritual symbols and images of all cultures to show the similarities and unity of the human spirit that has existed since the beginning of time.

Fran paints with mixed media on gourds, slate and granite tiles, river rocks and wood as a symbol of unity with our ancestors. She uses individual dots of acrylic paint to create the illusion of beading, which comes together in colorful and spiritual images. She most recently has begun to employ dye methods and faux batik in her artwork.

Ms. Jaffe is proud to be a part of the Illinois Artisans Program. Her work has been on exhibit at the Mitchell Museum in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, the Thompson Center Artisans Shop in Chicago, Illinois, in addition to the Dickson Mounds Museum Shop in Lewiston, Illinois, and the Rend Lake Artisans Shop in Whittington, Illinois. Her work may frequently be seen at the Sanibel Art and Frame Gallery in Sanibel, Florida in addition to the Healing Earth Resources Center in Chicago, Illinois, Visions, an art gallery in Makanda, Illinois and the Art Lovers Gallery and Trading Company in Carbondale, Illinois.

Ms. Jaffe will be happy to provide you with custom paintings if desired. She will paint on walls, wood, rocks, tiles, musical instruments and more. You may contact Fran via email at iamabilene@hotmail.com.