Charlotte County Artist Fran Hines

Fran was born in Massachusetts. In high school, she was involved in special art projects, drawing for the yearbook and the Art Club. During her senior year, she entered the Massachusetts Regional Art Awards. She won two gold keys and three blue ribbons. She also was selected to compete in the National Scholastic Art Awards as a finalist in New York, where she won a scholarship of her choice.

She was accepted at Vesper George School of Art in Boston, Massachusetts, where she majored in Commercial Art and Advertising. Fran also attended Boston Museum School of Art and New England School of Art and Design. She worked in Boston as a commercial artist. She then traveled to Europe, where she visited several countries and many famous museums. The highlight of her trip was a visit to the Louvre, but all in all, it was a wonderful experience.

Fran later found her niche as a technical illustrator. She married and had twins, a boy and a girl, and 5 years later, she had an other child, a girl. She found little time for her first love, drawing and painting. She did some freelance commercial artwork until the children were a little older, and then she found time to take some painting courses. She was then employed as a technical illustrator for General Electric for five and a half years and then left as a senior technical illustrator to spend more time with her family.

One of the highlights of her life was to fulfill a lifelong dream to travel to Egypt and see the pyramids, ruins, tombs and museums. She was always fascinated with Egypt and still is.

After leaving General Electric, Fran started her own business, called "Technical Illustration." Lines by Hines was considered but quickly abandoned. She did contract work for General Electric, as well as patent drawings, architectural renderings, medical illustrations and other commercial projects for a variety of businesses. She also taught adult education and children's art classes and private art classes in "Fran's studio".

Fran and her husband visited Charlotte County, Florida and fell in love with the area. They bought a house in Punta Gorda Isles. They later relocated from Massachusetts and have never regretted it. Fran's husband, Don, an engineer for General Electric, has retired but still does consulting.

Fran is an instructor for the Visual Arts Center, where she teaches classes in pastel, drawing and oil painting. She also is an art instructor for the Punta Gorda Isles Civic Center. She attends a life drawing and portrait workshop at the Visual Arts Center, where she teaches classes in pastel painting, oil painting and drawing. She still has her at-home business, "Technical Illustration." Further, she is an art instructor at the Punta Gorda Isles Civic Center, where she teaches classes in multi-medium. She also attends life drawing and portrait workshop at the Visual Art Center and is a member of the Arts and Humanities Council of Charlotte County.

She now hopes to have more time to paint and draw for her own enjoyment and continues to enjoy her new life in Florida with her husband, family and many wonderful new friends.

Gallery 1 Gallery 2

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