Frank was born in Darwen, Lancashire – part of the post-war baby boom. He has lived and worked in Glastonbury, Somerset, for the last 25 years, having gained his degree in Fine Art at Preston Polytechnic (now the University of Central Lancashire).
His main influences are 20th century British painters, Hockney, Blake, Phillips, Ravillious, Bawden and the earlier Camden and Euston Road School.“I began painting again recently – the long break seems to have cleansed my palette of ‘overtly painterly concerns’ – and now I just paint the sort of pictures that satisfy me”.
None of Frank’s paintings are autobiographical, but they do explore his past and memories.His paintings are reflections on personal experiences using a variety of contemporary cultural references.Clearly shared cultural images have a deep resonance across all social and age groups.“I’m fascinated by half remembered tastes, smells, people, shared experiences, the strangeness of the grown-up world”.Frank likes to use bold colours – like the covers of his old comic annuals, large areas of flat colour with strong lines to define shape and weight – like the characters in the Beano, Topper and Eagle.“Whilst I originally painted for my own pleasure, I have been surprised by the number of people, who have felt a personal connection with the pictures”.
‘The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there’L.P. Hartley – The Go-Between