ABOUT THE ARTIST
It would be easy to credit her Jamaican upbringing for the bright, bold colors and sharp, dynamic angles that characterize her paintings. But Yvette Francis says that would be a mistake. “The colors,” she says, “are a part of me.” This is the way she sees.
Even as a child in elementary school, she travelled around Jamaica representing her school in art competitions. “I’ve always been creative. It’s just an extension of me.”
Yvette’s family came to the United States when she was 11, settling in Miami. She was also a prolific athlete, participating in track, soccer, tennis and softball. When she reached high school, however, she made a choice that would establish her life’s path: She decided to attend the New World School for the Arts. “I walked away from my athletic self,” she says. “I was fully committed to art.”
The commitment – and talent – allowed her to receive an offer to attend the prestigious Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City. Cooper Union strives to produce “self-sustaining artists” with numerous artistic skills, so Yvette pursued a varied course of study, including sculpture and, of course painting. Though painting was her “first love,” she found herself seeking out more structure. “Things had gotten a bit too loose for me,” she says.
She found a contrasting culture in design, which while still creative required more structure and discipline. It also offered just what she needed: a career. “I never wanted to be a starving artist,” she says. “So to find something I ended up loving, and being able to make a career out of it was great. Discovering design was a gift.”
Yvette has worked in brand development and design for some of the most respected brands, companies and publications in their industries. Among them: Disney, Bauer, Time Inc., Cigar Aficionado, ESPN The Magazine, Life & Style, UFC Magazine and Men’s Fitness.
She also began teaching, which helped rekindle Yvette’s pursuit of her “first love” – painting. (She teaches design and typography at CCNY) “I’ve had amazing teachers and have always wanted to teach. For me, teaching is my way of giving back.” It sparked her desire to engage all of her creative outlets. And caused the little voice inside to whisper louder and louder: Why aren’t you painting more?
Now, she is teaching, designing – and painting. “I feel absolutely blessed because I’m doing the three things I absolutely love.”