Frances Aviva Blane (néeSternberg), is a British
abstract painter who works in the
Expressionist tradition. Her subject matter is the disintegration of paint and personality. Although her paintings are mainly non-referential, her drawings are often portraits of heads.
She has exhibited alongside
Frank Auerbach,
Basil Beattie and John McLean in Europe, Japan, Australia and the UK.
COVID (2020)[5] by
Susie Orbach and Frances Aviva Blane – a book of paintings and drawings made by Blane during the first COVID-19 lockdown with an essay by Orbach.
Who is Frances Aviva Blane? (2020)[6] Blane, Orbach, Woolcock. A book accompanying the film of the same name directed by
Penny Woolcock.
FAB by Frances Aviva Blane[7][8][9][10] with introduction by Susie Orbach was published by Starmount Publications in 2019.
MORE Works on Paper by Frances Aviva Blane with essay by Mark Gisbourne was published by Starmount Publications in January 2018.[11]
EMBASSY by Frances Aviva Blane. A book of paintings and drawings chronicling Blane's exhibition at the German Embassy London with introduction by
Tess Jaray was published by Starmount Publications in 2017.
NOTHING by Frances Aviva Blane,[12] a book of paintings and works on paper with a catalogue essay by
Diana Souhami was published by Starmount Publications in 2015.
Exhibitions
Blane's first show in London was curated by Andrew Mummery, a British gallerist. She is also an award-winner of the
Jerwood Drawing Prize (1999) and took part in their exhibition Drawing Breath, an anniversary show.
Blane has been included in many group shows including Chora[13] (London and touring the UK) curated by art critic
Sue Hubbard and Women's Contemporary Self Portraits at the
Usher Gallery (Lincoln and touring). Blane also showed at the Annely Juda Gallery in the exhibition Annely Juda – A Celebration. She has had two-handed exhibitions with
Basil Beattie and John Mclean, both prominent British abstract painters.
Frances Aviva Blane, The Brave Truth, at Zuleika Gallery, Oxfordshire, UK, November 2022
Frances Aviva Blane, Fired with Claudia Clare, Gallery 286, London, October 2022
Frances Aviva Blane, Dark, De Queeste Kunstkamers, Abele/Watou, Belgium from 11 November to 9 December 2018[14][15]
Blane. Broken Heads, Broken Paint,[16] 12 Star Gallery at Europe House, London 2018
Two Faces, a show of work by Frances Aviva Blane, The German Ambassador's Residence, London, 2016 – 2017[17][18][19][20]
Deconstruct, Frances Aviva Blane shown alongside exhibitions of Francis Bacon and Louise Bourgeois, De Queeste Kunstkamers, Abele/Watou, Belgium, 2014[21][22]
Big Black Paintings, Bay Hall, King's College London, 2014[23][24]
Frances Aviva Blane (néeSternberg), is a British
abstract painter who works in the
Expressionist tradition. Her subject matter is the disintegration of paint and personality. Although her paintings are mainly non-referential, her drawings are often portraits of heads.
She has exhibited alongside
Frank Auerbach,
Basil Beattie and John McLean in Europe, Japan, Australia and the UK.
COVID (2020)[5] by
Susie Orbach and Frances Aviva Blane – a book of paintings and drawings made by Blane during the first COVID-19 lockdown with an essay by Orbach.
Who is Frances Aviva Blane? (2020)[6] Blane, Orbach, Woolcock. A book accompanying the film of the same name directed by
Penny Woolcock.
FAB by Frances Aviva Blane[7][8][9][10] with introduction by Susie Orbach was published by Starmount Publications in 2019.
MORE Works on Paper by Frances Aviva Blane with essay by Mark Gisbourne was published by Starmount Publications in January 2018.[11]
EMBASSY by Frances Aviva Blane. A book of paintings and drawings chronicling Blane's exhibition at the German Embassy London with introduction by
Tess Jaray was published by Starmount Publications in 2017.
NOTHING by Frances Aviva Blane,[12] a book of paintings and works on paper with a catalogue essay by
Diana Souhami was published by Starmount Publications in 2015.
Exhibitions
Blane's first show in London was curated by Andrew Mummery, a British gallerist. She is also an award-winner of the
Jerwood Drawing Prize (1999) and took part in their exhibition Drawing Breath, an anniversary show.
Blane has been included in many group shows including Chora[13] (London and touring the UK) curated by art critic
Sue Hubbard and Women's Contemporary Self Portraits at the
Usher Gallery (Lincoln and touring). Blane also showed at the Annely Juda Gallery in the exhibition Annely Juda – A Celebration. She has had two-handed exhibitions with
Basil Beattie and John Mclean, both prominent British abstract painters.
Frances Aviva Blane, The Brave Truth, at Zuleika Gallery, Oxfordshire, UK, November 2022
Frances Aviva Blane, Fired with Claudia Clare, Gallery 286, London, October 2022
Frances Aviva Blane, Dark, De Queeste Kunstkamers, Abele/Watou, Belgium from 11 November to 9 December 2018[14][15]
Blane. Broken Heads, Broken Paint,[16] 12 Star Gallery at Europe House, London 2018
Two Faces, a show of work by Frances Aviva Blane, The German Ambassador's Residence, London, 2016 – 2017[17][18][19][20]
Deconstruct, Frances Aviva Blane shown alongside exhibitions of Francis Bacon and Louise Bourgeois, De Queeste Kunstkamers, Abele/Watou, Belgium, 2014[21][22]
Big Black Paintings, Bay Hall, King's College London, 2014[23][24]