Bio

Born in San Francisco, California and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, Francesca Balagtas was always interested in art at a young age. She grew up mostly painting but started to find more interest in sculpture a few years before attending San Francisco Art Institute. In December of 2015 she graduated from SFAI with her BFA in Sculpture. While attending SFAI she exhibited at SFAI Concentrate for 3 years and displayed at The Decline Gallery, West Wall Gallery, and the Diego Rivera Gallery. Francesca also studied sculpture in Florence, Italy in the fall of 2014. There she displayed her work at the Museo di Storia Naturale and Studio Art Centers International Florence.

Currently Francesca performs in San Francisco as her drag persona, Sassi Fran, while still creating work about her newly found interest in beauty standards, the female form, and personal journey.

CV

Education

     2015   San Francisco Art Institute | San Francisco, CA |  Bachelors of Fine Arts: Sculpture                                                                        

     2014   Studio Art Centers International | Florence, Italy | Affiliated Study Abroad Program                   

Work

     Exhibitions

     2016 “BFA Exhibition” Diego Rivera Gallery, San Francisco, CA

     2015   “Graduating BFA Exhibition” Diego Rivera Gallery, San Francisco, CA

     2015   “In Stitches” Decline Gallery, San Francisco, CA

     2015   “Accreditation Show” San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA

     2014   “Body Archives” Museo di Storia Naturale Antropologia e Etnologia, Florence, Italy

     2014   “Fall 2014 Student Art Exhibition” Palazzo dei Cartelloni, Florence, Italy

     2014“Spookies” Decline Gallery. San Francisco, CA

     2013   “Pop- Up Video” West Wall Gallery, San Francisco, CA

     2013   “Paper Trails” West Wall Gallery, San Francisco, CA

     2013   “SFAI Concentrate” San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA

     2012   “Winter Art Festival” San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA

     2012   “Fool’s Paradise” Brian Lewis Gallery, Las Vegas, NV

     Public Work

     2013   “Spookies in Ina Coolbirth Park”, Site Specific Installation, Ina Coolbirth Park, San Francisco, CA

     2012   “Temporary Structures”, Group Mural, San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA

Publications

     2015   Student Profile, San Francisco Art Institute Annual Appeal

     2015   Global Programs Gallery, http://www.sfai.edu

Awards

     2014   “Gillian Scholarship” Studio Art Centers International, Florence, Italy

     2012   “Trustee Scholarship” San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA

     2012   “Oscher Scholarship” San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA

     2012   “SFAI Grant” San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA