Sam Francis Art Prints

Sam Francis, an American painter, was born in San Mateo, California. He first attended the University of Southern California at Berkeley where he studied medicine. In 1945, he transferred to the California School of Fine Arts and began to study painting. In 1950, Francis moved to Paris to study at the Atelier Fernand Leger where he was influenced by Riopelle and Jackson Pollack. Francis took a world tour in 1957 which exposed him to many new techniques and influences. These influences resulted in the development of a style known as tachisme. Tachisme is a technique where free-flowing oil paint is permitted to drip down the canvas, creating an accidental design. In the painting "Meaningless Gesture" this style is well illustrated: the canvas is covered in light, cloud-like forms with thin streams of paint raining down. Sam Francis exhibits around the world. His paintings are included in major collections throughout the United States.