We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Franck De Las Mercedes. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Franck below.

Franck, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Having spent part of my career in the gallery system until December of 2023, one of the biggest risks I took was to become an independent artist. Despite having representation I felt I needed a change and to break away from the stagnation. Ironically the risk taken was in response to the desire to take creative risks in my art practice. When we start an artists, full creative expression is encouraged. “You can do it all, experiment, be free.” Unfortunately, you can fall into opportunities that, though at the beginning offer much needed support to your craft, you are discouraged from experimentation and asked to remain uniform, even censored.

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 back background and context?

I came into visual arts after a dark emotional period in which I worked while pursuing my dream of becoming a musician and actor. I was very active working in theater, making music and life should’ve been good. Suddenly a dark cloud came over me and a dark void took over my mind. It all stemmed mostly from childhood trauma, having blocked many things, it felt like my mind exploded and had something to show me. I dropped everything and detached from my creative life to seek help and figure it all out. At some point in those dark times, I came a across one of those cheap watercolor sets at Duane Reade and picked up a pad to paint on. The rest as they say is history. My work became a channel for healing, but also a way to create images that explore societal issues, family dynamics, and childhood to emotionally connect with the viewer by providing a gateway for self-discovery and finding common ground. I use visual self-inquiry and documentation to reflect on our human condition.

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How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I think now more that ever is important to support independent and underrepresented artists through collecting their work. Also by supporting the orgs that support artists and their practice. I currently have a studio provided by Art on the Ave NYC, community-driven non-profit organization dedicated to elevating local artists and revitalizing neighborhoods. They transform vacant retail spaces and offices into public art galleries and also studios, where artist can work for free. Not only do I have a space to create, connect and show my work. I also have the opportunity to sell my work without middle person or dealer commission. This kind of support is invaluable and needed, but it needs the public’s support to thrive.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

A day with the opportunity to make art or be creative. What more can I ask for. Artists face all the struggles that non creatives face if not more. It’s a gift to be able to make art no matter what one is facing or what the times are throwing our way. You make are you make progress. For me it is rewarding to say I’m artist still, after twenty years. I believe what I do is important and worthy, like any other profession. The other reward for me is to transform the darkness into beauty, to make sense of the chaos and to hold a mirror of understanding to my own culture and society.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.fdlmstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fdlmstudio/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delasmercedes/

Image Credits

FdlM Studio