Francesco Lombardo

Using oil paint as his primary medium and the human figure or landscape as his primary subject, Francesco Lombardo creates work that involves repetition, movement, and layers of translucent form. His artistic influences from the past are rooted in the linear elegance of the High Renaissance, the serene yet compelling postures of classical sculpture, and the folds within folds of Baroque marble. In terms of contemporary influences, Francesco is always referencing new artists, but owes a significant amount of inspiration to the works of Jenny Saville, Robert Liberace, and Odd Nerdrum.

Frank completed training in art from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, receiving his B.A. in painting in 2002. Shortly thereafter he studied with the painter Odd Nerdrum in Norway for half a year. In 2004 he found long-lasting influence in the otherworldly allure of Iceland after being awarded a Fulbright to study there for one year.

Color blindness is an alluring challenge that Lombardo must take into account when painting. His eyes struggle to discern various reds and greens but are compensated in this deficiency with a heightened ability to discern value. The solutions found in answer to color blindness end up adding to the joy of seeing a painting come together.

His works have been on display at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. as part of the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, and his major paintings have been added to collections as far away as Kuwait. Francesco lives and works in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina.