Ozz Franca

Ozz Franca (1928-1991)

The beautiful pastel portraits of contemporary Native Americans and their environment by Brazilian artist Ozz Franca capture his subjects' beauty and dignity. Working from black and white photographs provided by his daughter, Franca began his work without the distraction of color, completing each painting with a color scheme of his own choosing. The white backgrounds of his paintings, from which his subjects seem to emerge, were actually worked quite thoroughly in order to produce the effect he desired. Franca began painting in childhood, winning top honors in the Sao Paulo Spring Salon at the age of fourteen. Later accomplishments of which he was particularly proud included being the first Brazilian artist to work as a cartoonist on a Walt Disney movie, and his experiences as an Olympic swimmer who won 58 medals and three trophies. Years of perseverance as an artist were eventually rewarded and Franca enjoyed tremendous popularity and commercial success before his death in 1991. The winner of numerous awards, including honors from the city of Los Angeles for his cultural contributions, Franca resided in a California desert community that afforded him the appreciation and silence that allowed his creativity to flourish.

Artwork:

The Lovers The Model Navajo Daydream

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