We were lucky to catch up with Frank Papandrea recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Frank thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

Yes, I’ve been able to earn a full-time living from my creative work, but it definitely wasn’t an overnight success. My journey has been a mix of determination, taking advantage of opportunities, and never saying no to a project.

It began as a fashion illustrator for GQ and WWD. That industry died so I entered the graphic design world, where I worked my way up to creative director, developing brand identities and campaigns for major clients—including designing for the USPS Bike Team during the Lance Armstrong era and earning multiple Best in Show awards. That foundation gave me both income and credibility, but over time, I felt the pull to return to my fine art roots. As I always heard, inside every AD is a fine artist.

Transitioning to full-time art meant rethinking everything—my audience, pricing, marketing, and where I show work. I started exhibiting consistently, connecting with anyone and everyone who value an interesting and sometimes beautiful aesthetic..

The first time I entered an art competition I had no expectations and when I won 2nd prize my world turned upside down. My pen and ink piece called “Domesticity” winning the Charly Award for best magazine illustration also helped build visibility,

Controversy, Conversation, and the Power of Art
When I created “God is on My Side”—a provocative image featuring Jesus and Mohammed on opposite sides of a graffiti-tagged fence—I knew it would spark dialogue. What I didn’t expect was the call from the Sun Sentinel, informing me that depictions of Mohammed are forbidden in some traditions. I replied simply: “This is the USA—I can draw anything.”

Despite concerns, ArtServe moved forward and exhibited the work. To channel the controversy into something constructive, I invited viewers to write their thoughts and outrage on a clear plastic sheet placed in front of the artwork. What began as a heated debate turned into a powerful communal expression. The response was overwhelming—it became a highlight of the exhibition.

I later repeated the interactive approach with a different piece at the Broward Art Guild. That work also stirred emotion—and was awarded Best in Show.

Art should challenge. It should provoke thought, not just comfort. I’m proud that these pieces did exactly that.

So did positioning my art as affordable yet high-end—emphasizing emotional storytelling and original work that elevates a space.

If I could go back, I’d have built my personal brand earlier and leaned into direct outreach to galleries and clients much sooner. Social media and smart networking are game changers now, but back then I relied more on word-of-mouth.

The biggest milestones were:
• Shifting from client work to personal expression
• Learning to treat my art as both a business and a message, communication.
• Staying flexible—design pays the bills, art feeds the soul, and together they form a sustainable creative career

Looking back, the slower moments taught me the most. I wouldn’t trade the journey, but yes, with what I know now, I would’ve taken bolder steps earlier.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Frank Papandrea—a creative director, award-winning fine artist, and graphic designer based in South Florida. My career has always lived at the intersection of visual storytelling and emotional connection. For nearly three decades, I’ve helped shape brands, design high-impact campaigns, and now, I channel that same creative energy into my abstract, pen and ink and conceptual art.

My creative journey began in the world of design. I designing everything from magazine layouts to national campaigns. A career highlight was designing the visual identity for the USPS Bike Team during the Lance Armstrong era, along with branding work that earned me multiple Best in Show awards for art direction.

But while I built a name in the commercial world, I always felt the pull toward more personal expression and communication. That led me back to fine art—specifically abstract painting, pen-and-ink work, and conceptual pieces that explore emotional depth, transformation, and the human experience. My work is designed to inspire clarity in the morning and spark introspection at night—each one whispering its own message through color, movement, and layered textures.

Today, I provide two distinct but connected creative services:

Graphic Design & Branding: I offer clean, strategic, high-impact visual design—from logos and flyers to full brand systems, especially for financial, real estate, and lifestyle clients.

Original Fine Art: I create and sell original paintings that are affordable yet sophisticated, ideal for collectors, interior designers, professionals, and anyone seeking art that moves them emotionally and visually.

What sets me apart is the balance I strike between strategic clarity and emotional storytelling. Whether I’m designing a corporate brand or painting an abstract landscape, my work always seeks to connect—with meaning, with message, and with intention.

I’m most proud of building a life that allows me to do what I love full time. From gallery shows in Fort Lauderdale to custom design work for national clients, I’ve shaped a creative career that reflects both my passion and professionalism. I don’t just create—I listen, interpret, and bring ideas to life in a way that resonates deeply with audiences.

For anyone new to my work: I want you to know that everything I create—whether it’s a brushstroke on canvas or a brand campaign—is rooted in purpose. My goal is always to create something that feels like it belongs to you, whether it’s hanging in your home or representing your business.

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

Communication is key. For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist and creative is the ability to turn emotion, memory, and observation into something tangible—something that speaks without words. I hate it when someone needs to explain a piece of art’s meaning.

There’s nothing like seeing someone pause in front of a painting and say, “This makes me feel something I didn’t expect.” You never want to bore. That moment of unexpected connection—that’s the reward. Whether I’m designing a brand that finally captures a client’s vision or creating a piece of art that brings peace, I am now painting clouds, or energy to someone’s space, the abstracts, I have been told, make the viewer feel happy in the morning and happy when they come home at night. I’m giving form to feeling. That’s powerful.

It’s also about freedom. Creative work allows me to explore, reinvent, and constantly evolve. I don’t have to stay in one lane. My website can show that I have been into many different forms of the creative process I call communication. Some days I’m designing sleek, professional graphics; others I’m throwing color at a canvas, chasing clarity or chaos. And in both, I get to express something real—and hopefully help someone else see things a little differently, or more clearly, in the process.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My creative journey is driven by a mission to communicate a sense of emotion, spark reflection, create connection and not bore through visual storytelling.

Whether I’m designing a brand, painting or pen and ink drawing, my goal is to make people feel something—calm, curiosity, recognition, or even discomfort that leads to insight. I want my work to be more than just visually appealing; I want it to be personally meaningful to the viewer.

With my fine art, I aim to create pieces that whisper a message—works that inspire positivity in the morning and provoke deeper thought after a long day. With my design work, I strive to bring clarity and purpose to brands, helping clients communicate who they are with confidence and authenticity.

While I may differentiate between “fine art” and design it is all communication. I create to connect—with people, ideas, and moments. That’s the thread that runs through everything I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://frankpapandrea.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frank.papandrea/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frank.papandrea.3/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-papandrea-6298aa12/

Image Credits

All original art created by Frank Papandrea