We recently connected with Frankie Garcia III and have shared our conversation below.

Frankie , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

“Starting my own business was a HUGE risk. As a creative thinker and artist, I take risks… it’s part of the process. When I approach a new canvas, I start with an idea… but all along the way, I’m taking risks. I’m trying new application’s I’ve yet to refine, I’m using new color palettes I’ve not used before, I’m confidently moving through these risks and it eventually becomes second nature. I apply this same approach to running my business. There is not a “plan B”. I develop new templates, strategies, concepts for each client and/or opportunity, which are not guaranteed to work out. So, I evolve and pivot until I find a resolution. Our current reality has proven to be my most difficult challenge as a business owner. The pandemic has literally forced me to take more risks than I’ve ever had to face before, and I’ve had to adapt to survive. Living my life as a professional artist for the last 24 years has definitely helped me navigate my way through these most difficult times. Art is my life and living life as an artist is the only way I know how to live. We take risks, it’s what we do.”

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I am an Artist, a Curator and a Professional Art Partner as well as Owner of FGIII Fine Art Productions.

I originally founded FGIIIArt in 2000 as an umbrella cooperative dedicated to establishing unity within the Dallas independent art community as well as instilling purpose and vision into the work of the individual artist. In 2015, FGIIIArt ultimately transitioned into FGIII Fine Art Productions. Over the years, FGIII Fine Art Productions has developed into a full-service, comprehensive art advisory company.
I’m in the business of selling art, specifically DFW art to DFW art patrons, collectors, businesses, art lovers etc… I refer to myself as a Professional Art Partner. We promote the work of emerging, mid-career and established artists through curated arts and culture programming with a concentration on producing high-caliber fine art shows and exhibitions. We also collaborate and provide our creative services to retailers, architects, designers, and developers.

The art business is 100% not easy. It’s a very competitive and difficult business to fully understand and even more difficult keeping up with the markets. I’m constantly evolving and shifting with the times. I’ve learned that understanding the “business of art” and adapting to each opportunity is essential to sustaining our programs and relationships with our clients and artists. Our relationships with artists set me apart from others in my industry. I’m an artist myself and I try to approach each opportunity and/or project from that perspective so that I’m not only providing my clients with their needs but I’m providing the artists with what they need from each opportunity to make it worth their efforts. We’re committed to empowering our artists with the necessary professional assets to drive the growth of their business and create worth through their artistic practice.

I was raised in the Oak Cliff district of Dallas, TX and my Chicano culture has had a tremendous influence on my art, life realities, goals, and accomplishments. My energy, emotional and mental state are definitely reflected in my work. I start my canvases with purpose and direction as I manipulate geometric forms, paint layers and textures to create dimension within my paintings. I’ve learned to work my paint and not allow the paint to do the work for me. Every movement is made with intention to precisely balance my visual compositions. I’m passionate at developing bold color palettes and designing distinctive environments with my signature abstract impasto expressive paintings.
I’m not defining my work as Chicano art, but my work is heavily influenced by my Chicano culture. My “serape series” reflects our color palettes and I’m known for my color combinations, across the spectrum. Graffiti and street art have had a heavy influence on me, and this can be seen in my shapes and movements. When I approach a canvas, I’m looking to create that “wow-factor” piece and I want the viewer to be engaged and wonder… “How did he paint that?”

I’ve had a long journey in the arts. My love for art began at an early age. In 1975, my father had the opportunity to assist with a very large and complicated community mural representing Chicano heritage, in Southern California, by Chicano muralist Robert de la Rocha. Soon after, I was born, February 5, 1976, in Westminster, CA. In 1978 my family relocated to Oak Cliff in Dallas, TX and the Chicano mural story became family legend. In 1994, after I graduated High School, I visited the barrio my family came from, back in Southern California, and I saw this legendary mural for the first time, in person, and realized all the stories were true.
Artists collaborated with people from our barrio and created a mural that stood the test of time and told a dramatic visual story in a way that only our culture could.

This experience changed my life. In 1996, I sold my first painting, which transformed my dream into a reality. In 1998, I produced “ONE Red Dot”, my debut solo exhibition, in Deep Ellum, TX, which sold out on opening night. Since 2000, I’ve been determined to nurture my passion for culture, love for the arts and obligation to my community into a professional art career.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn that I cannot do it all. I’ve learned that I am one individual, and I can only manage so much…
It’s unrealistic to think that any one individual and/or any company can take on everything that comes our way, so, I’ve built a team of creatives to assist me with accomplishing our workload. At FGIII Fine Art Productions, we listen to all inquiries and thoroughly access where we fit within each opportunity and/or project. We listen to our clients, artists, and colleagues so that we can provide a more defined understanding of how we can be of real assistance, which leads to developing long-term relationships.

I’ve learned to grow with the business and not to force my business to grow. This allows me to refine our methods of managing our programs and processes so that my team completely understands our mission and goals. There are so many levels within the creative industry that we would love to engage, and we look forward to growing FGIII Fine Art Productions and ultimately including those levels within our company.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Working with other creatives, learning from them, and collaborating with them. I’m an artist myself and I LOVE to paint, but I don’t get the opportunity to create as much as much as I’d love to. Again, I cannot do it all… so I must dedicate and schedule time to paint for myself while I manage the day-to-day operations of FGIII Fine Art Productions. Collaborating with other artists and assisting them with achieving their creative goals, fills that void in my soul. It’s extremely rewarding to me and I’m grateful to have sustained relationships with some of the most creative artists across DFW.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.fgiiifineartproductions.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankie.fgiiifineart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FGIIIArt
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fgiii/

Image Credits
FGIII Fine Art Productions