About

Artist statement

I paint botanical and landscape abstracts. Collaging - playing with forms and composition is at the heart of my practice. I mainly work in oil and ink. I love the unapologetic directness of ink and the physicality of oils. Finding inspiration in botanical gardens where every tree, plant and flower gets their particular care to grow and bloom, my work is an invitation to the viewer to find a nurturing environment. To settle there and to start growing and blooming into their most authentic life. And by doing so not only reviving and replenishing themselves but also to inspire others to step into the light.

Biography

Fran Polis (1986, Barneveld, The Netherlands) is an artist and writer. Although she is currently living and working in ’s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, she is planning to emigrate to Scotland at the earliest opportunity to start a gallery and artist library alongside her art and writing practice. Current projects that she’s working on are a series of large botanical abstracts in oil, an essay on why she wants to live in Scotland, a scifi story about time travel gone wrong, and preparing for her upcoming residencies at Pitlochry (UK, fall 2023) and Madeira (PT, spring 2024).

CV

2023

• Art residency Pitlochry (UK)
• Chief editor and writer at Dutch gardening magazine Buitenleven
• Contestant Luxembourgh Art Prize

2022

• Solo pop up ‘Botanical abstracts in the garden’ (Genderen, NL)
• Open studio (Genderen, NL)
• Editor and writer at Dutch gardening magazine Buitenleven

2021

• Online group show ‘Moving Forward’ collaboration with Toni Harrower (UK), Charlotte Johnston (UK) and Berenice Albrecht (Australia)
• Open studio Poeldonk (’s-Hertogenbosch, NL)

2020

• Open studio JAN (’s-Hertogenbosch, NL)
• Exhibition at gallery De Fabriekswinkel (Veghel, NL)
• Contestant Luxembourgh Art Prize
• Collaboration with Ton Design (Beek en Donk, NL), printing my art based pattern designs on high quality made-to-order carpets.

2019

• Eindhoven Maker Faire - ‘Majorelle’ stand (Eindhoven, NL)
• Art residency El Turros (Girona, SP)
• Exhibition at gallery Uit je Kunst (Woerden, NL)
• ‘Majorelle’ collaboration with Studio Glashelder (Bodegraven/’s-Hertogenbosch/Woerden, NL)
• Hortus by Night solo pop up (’s-Hertogenbosch, NL)

Publications (selection):

• Klimaatboeren voor het leven (Buitenleven 2023.6). Article about Bodemzicht, a Dutch regenerative farm in Nijmegen dedicated to building healthy sustainable ecosystems and biodiversity.

• Kleine tuin vol contrasten (Buitenleven 2023.summer special). Article about a small garden design featuring coloured walls, organic forms and constrasting leaf forms and colours.

• Voorraadje verse oogst. Dossier oogsten en inmaken (Buitenleven 2023.summer special). Article about harvesting and preserving your homegrown fruit and vegetables including how-to’s and recipes.

• Supermarkt voor dieren (Buitenleven 2023.summer special). Article about De Hof van Chartreuse, an enclosed garden designed by Dutch architect Anke Colijn aimed at catering to the entire ecosystem by focusing on planting native and botanical plants from over the world that inhabit the same climate zones as the Netherlands and are therefore able to provide food for animals all year round.

• Elke dag naar buiten (Buitenleven 2023.1). Article about Dutch organisation Vrijland that offers daily outside after-school care in the forests, playgrounds and sand drift around Amersfoort and how the children’s development benefits from being outside together.

• The Fran art magazine ed. 2019.1 (article about life and work of Frida Kahlo)

• The Fran art magazine ed. 2019.2 (interview with fashion designer Dorine Boudewijn, article about life and work of The Macdonald sisters (Margaret MacDonald Mackintosh and Frances MacDonald McNair), article about spring in Logan Botanic Garden (UK), article about ??).

• The Fran art magazine ed. 2019.3 (interview glass artist Elise Neve, article about Le Jardin Majorelle in Marrakesh (MC), article about the arts and crafts movement).

• The Fran art magazine ed. 2019.4 (interview with ceramist Gert de Mulder, article about Les Bois des Moitiers landscape garden park in Varengeville sur Mer (FR), article about life and work of Gertrude Jekyll).

Press:

• https://decompagnie.art/fabriekswinkel/de-fabriekswinkel-archief.html
• https://eindhoven.makerfaire.com/maker/entry/56/

Education

• 2017-to date: personal art education Wycher Noord

• 2018-2019: Ceramics course (1 year)

• 2014-2015: Sewing course (1 year)

• 2011: MA History Teacher’s degree from Radboud University Nijmegen

• 2010: Dutch Language and Literature at Radboud University Nijmegen

• 2009: Photography course (6 months)

• 2009: MA Cultural History from Radboud University Nijmegen with minors in Public History, Cultural Governance and Dutch Language and Culture.

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