Tom Franco
Instagram: @tom__franco
Website: https://tomfranco.com
Bio: THOMAS FRANCO BIO & ARTIST STATEMENT - 2026
Tom's main profession is as a fine art sculptor and painter. His work is described as found objects, folk-art, collaborative, California funk, and ceramics.
His process and approach to art making is diverse and layered.
He often begins with found materials that are chosen for their shapes, colors, and the stories that come with them.
Most things are anthropomorphized and become characters in an ongoing story of people and creatures living their lives in a parallel world to ours. Peppered with mystery, villains, and natural phenomenon, the mood is magical, filled with wonder, and an overarching calm understanding that everything is going to be alright.
As sculptural objects there is a flip flop between the physicality of the work and the fantastical depictions of the human spirit.
With a group of 6+ collaborating artists, Tom and friends function more like a musical band that tours around the United States and other countries to put on art shows, public art activations, and teach.
They make short films of these adventures called The U.S. Bus Art Tour.
Since 2004, Tom finds inspiration from directing a constellation of community spaces called the Firehouse Art Collective, including art studios, galleries, live-events, cafes, co-housing, and classrooms. This includes activations in the cities of Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond, Alameda, Reno, and soon to be Los Angeles and Palo Alto.
With his wife Iris Torres they formed Firehouse Films in 2015 to develop movies and documentary projects.
A documentary covering the California ceramic movement from the 60's to today is called No Rules In Clay.
Tom and Iris live with their 3 year old son and two dogs in Oakland and Los Angeles, California.
Statement: See Above Bio and Artist Statement
