By Erin Furman
Name: Francesca Gallardo
Year: Senior
Major: Art Education
Could you describe your collection and what the pieces on display include?
My pieces are all skies. I experimented with color and brush strokes to create space and atmosphere. My pieces range from mostly acrylic to oil paintings and are inspired by my hometown, Pine Island, a farming town where it is so beautiful and the sky and landscapes are so amazing I can’t help but to get inspired.
How did you get started as an artist?
I have always loved art. Even when I was little, there are home videos of me painting when I was like 3 years old. My mother was always a crafty, artsy person, so she definitely had a lot to do with my liking of art. In high school, I had an amazing art teacher. I think it was in 10th grade, and she was great: she was young and fun and had new projects, and that’s when I knew that what I wanted to be, an art teacher.
What are your inspirations?
My inspiration, like I said before, is my hometown. It’s just a beautiful place. Also, my cultural backgrounds: I’m Mexican and Polish, and they are full of art and culture. My family and friends inspire me as well. I did a photography piece in high school on all my friends, and recently I did other photos of my boyfriend’s niece and nephews.
What other activities or jobs are you involved in, on and off campus?
I substitute teach back home, I baby-sit, and I also waitress at an Irish NYFD Bar/Restaurant in my hometown. I usually volunteer when I’m home at BOCES for special education students. I am part of FORM.
What do you hope to do after graduation? Will art continue to be a big part of your life?
I hope to find a job as an art teacher back upstate. I want to teach high school. While I’m teaching, I want to get my masters in special education. I also want to continue doing my own artwork, so I will be able to bring my own experiences into my classroom.
Check out Francesca’s artwork in the FORM gallery on the first floor of Calkins Hall.