Contact info for Francis:
www.facebook.com/francismartewatercolours/
www.instagram.com/francismartewatercolours/
email: francis.marte.art@outlook.com
Phone: 1.780.222.3465

Workshop Instructor:

Francis Marte

Originally from the Philippines, Francis Marte started attending art school when he was twelve, learning figurative and landscape drawing in pencil and ink, and painting using watercolours and pastels. Since childhood, Francis has always had a meticulous fascination for images, how the world is represented in the eye of others, and what makes beautiful scenes and objects eye-catching. Although he possessed a keen eye for art, he thought that a career as an artist was unrealistic, due to economic and social pressures. In 2002, he earned a certificate in Interior Design. In design school he studied art history, architecture and mechanical drawing, which he enjoyed tremendously. But this was the time that he also discovered his natural talent in watercolours, every time he created renderings of interior design spaces.

Francis moved to Jasper, Alberta, Canada in 2007 and settled in Edmonton in 2010. His love for the both the outdoors and the city grew immensely. In 2015, after a long hiatus from the art world, he attended watercolour workshops in Edmonton and rediscovered his love and mastery of the medium, with a newly found inspiration – scenes of Canadian landscapes and architecture. Realizing that he has reset this career into a new path a bit later in life, he practiced being a watercolourist intensely, painting whenever he can while juggling a full time career in public service. He invested in many art books, video tutorials, and took great inspiration from award-winning watercolourists, studying their technique and styles. He worked the full-time job during the day, and painted watercolours in the evenings. In just three years, his watercolours have been accepted and exhibited in many international competitions, and garnered several awards. He has also been featured in several art publications and websites. \

Besides working on commissions, he also is a watercolour painting instructor at The Paint Spot in Edmonton, St. Albert Painters Guild, Strathcona County Art Society, and at the Strathcona Seniors Centre. He also serves as a juror and art critique to a number of local art competitions and art clubs. In 2024, he was awarded signature status by the Federation of Canadian Artists (FCA), an organization that started in 1941 by professional Canadian working artists including Group of Seven luminaries. To this date, signature status has been awarded to only 115 Canadian artists has achieved an extremely high degree of technical skill, and has seen to have also found their own artistic voice. Most of his free time is spent painting at his home studio, hoping never to retire being a watercolourist.