Late Bloomer Life Skills 62 READY TO HANG Book Page Pop Art Acrylic Varnish Finish FRANKO

Bluethumb Top Selling Artist.

An Important Note About External Oak Float Frames

For $600, I can include a custom-made Franko Oak float frame before this piece leaves my studio.

All of my frames are solid Oak. Always. No flat plastic. No gesso. And they’re better value than Bluethumb’s third-party option.

If you’d like one, just message me your preferred colour. I’ll adjust the listing, build and fit the frame in-house, send you a photo once it’s all jazzed up, then carefully pack and ship it with tracking, direct from my studio.

Bluethumb’s framing is handled by a third party. Their “Natural” option is unsealed Oak, and their black and white options are gesso (plastic composite). If plastic is your thing, that may suit you.

I manufacture all float frames in-house using premium Oak only. Natural Oak is finished with Gilly’s Beeswax for a rich, protected hue. Black and white frames are factory-painted Oak ... real timber, not coated composite.

Solid Oak has weight, depth and presence. It feels right on original art, is more repairable if scratched or dented, and avoids unnecessary third-party handling.

When you choose a Franko frame, the entire process stays within my studio. It supports independent craftsmanship, ensures full quality control, and keeps the work in the hands of the artist from start to finish.

Original art deserves that level of care.

Onto the Artwork -

Hi there spunky Art Lover! Thank you for checking out this piece and welcome to my new Bookclub Series ... Late Bloomer Books. "Life Skills 62" features orange, beige and black acrylics, inks and sugar sprays.

These special "Bookclub" have been created from books that don't exist... but somehow feel like they should. "For those that got there eventually."

Unlike the original Book Club paintings, Late Bloomer Books are built from fragments of many different books layered into the artwork itself. Old illustrations, forgotten text, botanical drawings, educational books, diagrams, poetry and random discoveries all find their way into the mix.

A completely fictional publishing company (that I have trademark pending and the .com.au for... stay tuned! 😏) producing highly questionable self-help books for people who may or may not have their lives together.

Authors such as Herb Green, Wade Longer, Olive Branch, Hope Springs, Romeo Cupid, Bark Twain, Justin Case, Frank Lee and Poly Anna slowly started appearing.

So did books like Good Things Take Fucking Ages, Hope Is A Stubborn Little Fucker, The Year I Started Talking To Plants, Things I Said For Sex, The Year The Dog Became My Therapist, Plan C, Advanced Beginner and The Last Fuck I Had To Give.

The funny thing is that people instantly seem to understand them. They laugh. Then they stop laughing. Then they read the title again. 😆

The books may be fictional, but the ideas behind them usually aren't - Patience. Hope. Starting over. Resilience. Learning things the hard way. Talking to plants.

Pages go over the edges as always, to create a gallery finish that doesn’t require framing or more cost to you.

This painting will NEVER EVER be sold as a print. This painting has LIFE. Mediums of choice are acrylics, inks and oil based distillers. Tools of choice are fingers and brushes. Pages are layered and stuck to the canvas and sealed with a binding varnish to ensure they will stay where they are meant to...On the canvas.

They are created on a 40mm frame wrapped in the highest quality canvas, with a varnish coat and gallery finished edges painted and finished as such. A “canvas” really has 5 faces. If this piece caught your eye but it’s not quite the right size or colours, or you would like something more personal, do reach out and let’s discuss possibilities.

Mumma Bear and spunky wife Wendy is CFO and big cheese. To add to the family vibe, since the world was rocked by covid, both of my offspring (Franksy and Franketta as I call them) have become fulltime understudies, having “helped out Dad” during their school years. Under my watchful eye, they are both now collaborating with me at the highest level.

Other stuff at a glance:
# One of Australia's Top Selling Artists.
# Fulltime practicing artist since 2009.
# Over 6000 pieces sold.
# Pieces held in collections in over 35 countries.
# About a 50/50 mix of commissions and Stock.
# Published in all forms of Media.
# Gallery Exhibited and partnered.
# Collaborates with many talented designers.
# Works used on TV shows such as The Block and Selling Houses Australia.
# I don’t use artshop frames. Canvases personally manufactured to my Spec.
# Professional shipping and packaging made to my Spec.

Finishing:
Most paintings arrive ready to install with hardware installed on the rear. It is recommend that the really really big ones, some of the heavier pieces and some of the specialist pieces, such as pallets, be installed by a professional hanger. This is cheaper than you may think and would be in the $150 to $250 range. We have partners in most areas that can be recommended if you need help. If you would like more information, just ask away.

Serving Suggestions:
Provided with listings are some insitu images. We strive to ensure they are accurate in scale. Sometimes we will add an external frame to the painting insitu, to provide a vibe for how that would look also. As mentioned above, my pieces arrive ready to install with gallery finished edges and honestly, most people don’t add external framing. However, it is of course an option. If you have any questions, please let me know. We are here to help and want to make it as easy as possible for you if your décor aspirations require it.

Freight and delivery:
We package the paintings securely in twin walled, reinforced, CUSTOM MADE “Franko” cartons, with additional protective inserts & of course the painting is wrapped in felt for rub protection. We are the consummate professionals in all that we do. Our trusted freight partners are TNT, Startrack and DHL. Often with larger pieces and local deliveries, we arrange direct delivery with our own driver.

Insurance and returns:
All paintings are sent fully insured and you have to love your art! If you don’t, do please reach out as I offer free returns.

Finally, all works come with a Certificate of Authenticity and free hugs and kisses!

Happy Trails!
Team Franko

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Hi there — lovely to meet you 😊

Franko is a full-time Australian Multi-Disciplinary Artist creating and selling original artworks since 2009.

Over that time, a consistent commitment to quality, service and authenticity has seen more than 7,000 original Frankos find homes in 35+ countries worldwide, while earning recognition amongst Bluethumb's bestselling and most popular artists year after year. Today, Franko is known for creating high-quality original artworks with bold design, texture, personality and lasting visual impact. Many collectors return time and time again, building collections that often grow to 5, 10 or more Frankos over the years, with some collectors from the very beginning still coming back for more today.

Just as importantly, every artwork is backed by a commitment to exceptional customer service and a genuinely personal experience. In a world increasingly filled with automation, bots and robo replies, Franko remains proudly old-school when it comes to customer service and still believes in dealing with people, building relationships and being personally available throughout the entire process. Behind the scenes, Franko is supported by his wife and adult children, helping ensure the same uncompromising standards extend from the first enquiry through to framing, careful packaging, insured freight and delivery.

With vast commission experience and approximately 1,500 bespoke artworks completed, Franko regularly works with private collectors, interior designers and commercial clients to create pieces tailored to specific spaces, colour palettes and concepts.

Working from a purpose-built studio in Queensland's beautiful Scenic Rim, just outside Brisbane and the Gold Coast, every artwork is created, framed and prepared in-house. Large custom oak float frames are also hand crafted in-house, allowing complete control over quality from the very first layer through to final delivery.

While abstraction remains at the heart of much of the work, creativity has always led the way. The work moves fluidly between large-scale textured abstracts, urban pop art, figurative works, landscapes, industrial-inspired collections often featuring recycled, Found or repurposed materials, and contemporary pop culture series. New ideas, happy accidents and creative detours often become entirely new collections of their own.

The creative process is still driven by the same curiosity that started the journey in 2009 — always exploring, experimenting and asking "what happens if..."

Franko has long been inspired by the Japanese concept of Yūgen — the idea that beauty often exists in the suggested rather than the obvious. Through texture, layers, abstraction and hidden details, many works invite the viewer to discover something different with each viewing. The artwork may remain unchanged, yet shifting light, changing perspectives and different seasons of life can reveal entirely new experiences within the same piece.

Over the years, Franko's work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, artist profiles, interviews and media features, including Bluethumb's curated "Statement Makers" exhibition at its Melbourne Gallery, which showcased a selection of the gallery's most established artists.

The goal has always remained simple: create affordable original art with enough presence, personality and raw visual impact to completely transform a space.

More than 7,000 Frankos later, that part hasn't changed.

Remember... Originals ONLY. No. Prints. Ever.

Happy Trails 😊
Franko