About Me

My name is Nadine Franklin, I'm a painter and illustrator from the US, living in Tokyo. I graduated from Wellesley College in 2018 and am currently a graduate student at Musashino Art University through the MEXT Scholarship program.

I make collage-like paintings, usually featuring a central female figure, that incorporate inspiration from my surroundings, such as buildings and natural scenery. Each of my works has a theme that emerges from my daily life—for example, I’ve made paintings about bugs that fly into my eyes in the summer, how it felt to visit my childhood home for the last time, how the moon appears differently in each season, and my experience with anxiety, just to name a few. Much of my work is influenced by Japanese culture, and I am inspired everyday by my surroundings in western Tokyo. I also like to merge printed matter (receipts, tickets, newspapers, maps, etc) with my art to create a collage-like effect. Ultimately, my art is an attempt to express and understand my own experiences, thoughts and feelings, and hopefully connect to the viewer through them.

Please feel free to contact me at franknay@live.com. You can also find me on Instagram at @naydeity.

Exhibitions

2023

Dream within a Dream - Solo exhibit, Kamikawa House, Tokyo

2022

Musashino Art University Degree Show The World Art Exhibition - Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum Where the Light Comes From - Solo exhibit, Cafe B13, Tokyo

2021

The World Art Exhibition - Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum Hikari no Mori: Time - Shiraya Art Space, Kodaira, Tokyo

2020

Enjoy - AsagiArts Gallery, Ginza, Tokyo

2019

Matters of the Heart - Las Laguna Art Gallery, California ArtBravo! - ArtServe Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

2018

Rooted - Senior Exhibition, Wellesley College, Massachusetts Three - Attleboro Arts Museum, Massachusetts