General News
15 July, 2022
How Ann Franklin rediscovered her passion for art
TRAWALLA’s Ann Franklin made herself a promise at the beginning of the year.
TRAWALLA’s Ann Franklin made herself a promise at the beginning of the year.
Despite being confined to a wheelchair by an immune system disease attacking her nervous system, reducing the usability of her arms and legs, Ms Franklin has embarked on a journey which has reignited her passion for art.
With a background in watercolours, acrylics and ceramics, it was the discovery of paper engineering last Christmas which inspired Ms Franklin’s imagination to the point where she, alongside long-time friend Judy Bennetts, has launched her first exhibition in Beaufort in nearly 20 years.
“I said this year I was going to explore more about me and my artwork,” she said.
“Because I’m starting out in this new field, my work is all new things that I am exploring and its allowed me to really find my feet again.
“All my work is paper and I want to keep it that way. I spend many hours cutting inch squares from magazines and then manipulating patch work designs to put my own flair, but I’ve still got so much to learn.”
And that is what excites Ms Franklin most.
Even in her 60s, she is as keen as ever to explore this new-found passion.
All of her work currently exhibited at Beaufort Art Trax is “completely brand new”; reflecting the new direction taken in her artwork.
“I didn’t want to show what I had done already because I’m not doing that anymore,” she said.
“I’m always learning which is something I love about this. I actually keep a sketch book and I do a lot of research into each piece I do.”
She has now set her sights on adding texture to her pieces; soaking the papers in ink and water to make it more three-dimensional.
In addition to a love of line and colour, much of her work is also inspired by Japanese and other mythologies from around the world.
Joining the exhibition, which is running until the end of August, in Beaufort is Ararat’s Janette Lucas, the author and illustrator or Margot and Milligan: Curious As Cats.