Skip to content

Selected Works

Selected Works Thumbnails
Manayunk Main Street  9" x 12"  Gouache

Manayunk Main Street

9" x 12"

Gouache 

Shop

Inquire
Meshoppen Fire House”, 18” x 24”, gouache

Meshoppen Fire House

18” x 24”

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
Food Truck”, 12” x 18”, gouache

Food Truck

12” x 18”

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
Meshoppen, PA”, 18” x 24”, gouache

Meshoppen, PA

18” x 24”

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
By Kelly Park  11.25” x 13.5”  Gouache

By Kelly Park

11.25” x 13.5”

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
Dock Builders (study)” 7.5” x 22”, gouache

Dock Builders (study)

7.5” x 22”

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
El Toro”, 16” x 22”, gouache

El Toro

16” x 22”

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
Green Lane (study)”, 9” x 12”, gouache

Green Lane (study)

9” x 12”

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
Pink Tree By Kelly Park”, 11” x 13.25”, gouache

Pink Tree By Kelly Park

11” x 13.25”

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
View from Fleming  18” x 24”  Gouache On Blue Grey Paper

View from Fleming

18” x 24”

Gouache On Blue Grey Paper

Shop

Inquire
Steps At Cotton And Terrace”, 18” x 24”, gouache

Steps At Cotton And Terrace

18” x 24”

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
Shore Shack (study)” 8” x 16”, gouache

Shore Shack (study)

8” x 16”

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
The Old Men”, 16” x 24”, gouache

The Old Men

16” x 24”

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
The River At Midvale”, 9” x 12”, gouache

The River At Midvale (SOLD)

9” x 12”

Gouache

 

West Philly Forsythia”, 9” x 12”, gouache

West Philly Forsythia

9” x 12”

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
Blue Boat  30” x 40”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Blue Boat

30” x 40”

Oil On Canvas

 

Inquire
By the River  24” x 48”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

By the River

24” x 48”

Oil On Canvas

 

Inquire
Car Wash  36” x 48”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Car Wash

36” x 48”

Oil On Canvas

Shop

Inquire
Crossing The Tracks  16" x 20"  Gouache

Crossing The Tracks

16" x 20"

Gouache

Inquire
Dark Sky Over Ko-Am Motors  24” x 36”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Dark Sky Over Ko-Am Motors

24” x 36”

Oil On Canvas

 

Inquire
Early Spring Pechin Street  12" x 16"  Oil On Canvas

Early Spring Pechin Street

12" x 16"

Oil On Canvas

 

Inquire
Falls Bridge  24" x 48"  Oil On Canvas

Falls Bridge

24" x 48"

Oil On Canvas

Shop

Inquire
Fishing At Midvale  36" x 40"  Oil On Canvas

Fishing At Midvale (SOLD)

36" x 40"

Oil On Canvas

Forsythia (study)  11” x 14”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Forsythia (study) (SOLD)

11” x 14”

Oil On Canvas

 

Going Home  24" x 48"  Oil On Canvas

Going Home

24" x 48"

Oil On Canvas

 

 

Inquire
Industrial Age  24” x 30”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Industrial Age

24” x 30”

Oil On Canvas

 

Inquire
Kelly Park  18” x 24”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Kelly Park

18” x 24”

Oil On Canvas

Shop

Inquire
Mad River Road  24” x 48”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Mad River Road

24” x 48”

Oil On Canvas

 

Inquire
Morning Shadows  18” x 24”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Morning Shadows

18” x 24”

Oil On Canvas

 

Inquire
Morning Walk Blue Corner  24” x 30”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Morning Walk Blue Corner

24” x 30”

Oil On Canvas

 

Inquire
Oil  6" x 8"  Gouache

Oil

6" x 8"

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
Picnic At The Water's Edge  36” x 60”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Picnic At The Water's Edge

36” x 60”

Oil On Canvas

 

Inquire
Railroad Crossing  10" x 20"  Oil On Canvas

Railroad Crossing (SOLD)

10" x 20"

Oil On Canvas

Safe Harbor  24" x 30"  Oil On Canvas

Safe Harbor

24" x 30"

Oil On Canvas

 

Inquire
Saint Joe’s Rowing  20” x 60”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Saint Joe’s Rowing

20” x 60”

Oil On Canvas

 

Inquire
Saturday Night And Sunday Morning  24” x 24”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Saturday Night And Sunday Morning (SOLD)

24” x 24”

Oil On Canvas

 

Saturn  9" x 24"  Gouache

Saturn

9" x 24"

Gouache

Inquire
Sorrentino's Deli  15" x 17"  Gouache

Sorrentino's Deli

15" x 17"

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
Spring  16" x 20"  Oil On Canvas

Spring

16" x 20"

Oil On Canvas

Shop

Inquire
Spring Trees, Gorgas Park  11" x 13.25"  Gouache

Spring Trees, Gorgas Park

11" x 13.25"

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
Springtime, Clark Park  11" x 13.25"  Gouache

Springtime, Clark Park (SOLD)

11" x 13.25"

Gouache

Two Towers  12" x 18"  Gouache

Two Towers

12" x 18"

Gouache

Shop

Inquire
View From Washington Ave  11.5" x 24"  Gouache

View From Washington Ave

11.5" x 24"

Gouache

Inquire
Water Ice  24” x 36”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Water Ice (SOLD)

24” x 36”

Oil On Canvas

 

Yellow And Gray  11" x 13.25"  Gouache

Yellow And Gray (SOLD)

11" x 13.25"

Gouache

 

Manayunk Main Street  9" x 12"  Gouache

Manayunk Main Street

9" x 12"

Gouache 

Shop

Meshoppen Fire House”, 18” x 24”, gouache

Meshoppen Fire House

18” x 24”

Gouache

Shop

Food Truck”, 12” x 18”, gouache

Food Truck

12” x 18”

Gouache

Shop

Meshoppen, PA”, 18” x 24”, gouache

Meshoppen, PA

18” x 24”

Gouache

Shop

By Kelly Park  11.25” x 13.5”  Gouache

By Kelly Park

11.25” x 13.5”

Gouache

Shop

Dock Builders (study)” 7.5” x 22”, gouache

Dock Builders (study)

7.5” x 22”

Gouache

Shop

El Toro”, 16” x 22”, gouache

El Toro

16” x 22”

Gouache

Shop

Green Lane (study)”, 9” x 12”, gouache

Green Lane (study)

9” x 12”

Gouache

Shop

Pink Tree By Kelly Park”, 11” x 13.25”, gouache

Pink Tree By Kelly Park

11” x 13.25”

Gouache

Shop

View from Fleming  18” x 24”  Gouache On Blue Grey Paper

View from Fleming

18” x 24”

Gouache On Blue Grey Paper

Shop

Steps At Cotton And Terrace”, 18” x 24”, gouache

Steps At Cotton And Terrace

18” x 24”

Gouache

Shop

Shore Shack (study)” 8” x 16”, gouache

Shore Shack (study)

8” x 16”

Gouache

Shop

The Old Men”, 16” x 24”, gouache

The Old Men

16” x 24”

Gouache

Shop

The River At Midvale”, 9” x 12”, gouache

The River At Midvale (SOLD)

9” x 12”

Gouache

 

West Philly Forsythia”, 9” x 12”, gouache

West Philly Forsythia

9” x 12”

Gouache

Shop

Blue Boat  30” x 40”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Blue Boat

30” x 40”

Oil On Canvas

 

By the River  24” x 48”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

By the River

24” x 48”

Oil On Canvas

 

Car Wash  36” x 48”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Car Wash

36” x 48”

Oil On Canvas

Shop

Crossing The Tracks  16" x 20"  Gouache

Crossing The Tracks

16" x 20"

Gouache

Dark Sky Over Ko-Am Motors  24” x 36”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Dark Sky Over Ko-Am Motors

24” x 36”

Oil On Canvas

 

Early Spring Pechin Street  12" x 16"  Oil On Canvas

Early Spring Pechin Street

12" x 16"

Oil On Canvas

 

Falls Bridge  24" x 48"  Oil On Canvas

Falls Bridge

24" x 48"

Oil On Canvas

Shop

Fishing At Midvale  36" x 40"  Oil On Canvas

Fishing At Midvale (SOLD)

36" x 40"

Oil On Canvas

Forsythia (study)  11” x 14”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Forsythia (study) (SOLD)

11” x 14”

Oil On Canvas

 

Going Home  24" x 48"  Oil On Canvas

Going Home

24" x 48"

Oil On Canvas

 

 

Industrial Age  24” x 30”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Industrial Age

24” x 30”

Oil On Canvas

 

Kelly Park  18” x 24”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Kelly Park

18” x 24”

Oil On Canvas

Shop

Mad River Road  24” x 48”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Mad River Road

24” x 48”

Oil On Canvas

 

Morning Shadows  18” x 24”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Morning Shadows

18” x 24”

Oil On Canvas

 

Morning Walk Blue Corner  24” x 30”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Morning Walk Blue Corner

24” x 30”

Oil On Canvas

 

Oil  6" x 8"  Gouache

Oil

6" x 8"

Gouache

Shop

Picnic At The Water's Edge  36” x 60”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Picnic At The Water's Edge

36” x 60”

Oil On Canvas

 

Railroad Crossing  10" x 20"  Oil On Canvas

Railroad Crossing (SOLD)

10" x 20"

Oil On Canvas

Safe Harbor  24" x 30"  Oil On Canvas

Safe Harbor

24" x 30"

Oil On Canvas

 

Saint Joe’s Rowing  20” x 60”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Saint Joe’s Rowing

20” x 60”

Oil On Canvas

 

Saturday Night And Sunday Morning  24” x 24”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Saturday Night And Sunday Morning (SOLD)

24” x 24”

Oil On Canvas

 

Saturn  9" x 24"  Gouache

Saturn

9" x 24"

Gouache

Sorrentino's Deli  15" x 17"  Gouache

Sorrentino's Deli

15" x 17"

Gouache

Shop

Spring  16" x 20"  Oil On Canvas

Spring

16" x 20"

Oil On Canvas

Shop

Spring Trees, Gorgas Park  11" x 13.25"  Gouache

Spring Trees, Gorgas Park

11" x 13.25"

Gouache

Shop

Springtime, Clark Park  11" x 13.25"  Gouache

Springtime, Clark Park (SOLD)

11" x 13.25"

Gouache

Two Towers  12" x 18"  Gouache

Two Towers

12" x 18"

Gouache

Shop

View From Washington Ave  11.5" x 24"  Gouache

View From Washington Ave

11.5" x 24"

Gouache

Water Ice  24” x 36”  Oil On Canvas  Shop

Water Ice (SOLD)

24” x 36”

Oil On Canvas

 

Yellow And Gray  11" x 13.25"  Gouache

Yellow And Gray (SOLD)

11" x 13.25"

Gouache

 

"My subject is the city, the world outside my door. These paintings are straightforward representations of the things I see. There is a bit of magic in the early morning light on a wall, the cacophony of colorful signs in a shop window, or along a thoroughfare, and the reflections of light sparkling on the river. All these bits of life, and the sense of human habitation within the city, are important to me."

- Larry Francis

Larry Francis - Artists - Gross McCleaf Gallery

Fishing At Midvale, 36" x 40", Oil On Canvas

 

Larry Francis is a Philadelphia native who has painted on the streets of the city from the early part of his life in art. He studied painting at PAFA, where he was awarded the J. Henry Schiedt European Traveling Scholarship in 1970. His first career solo show was held at the Peale House Galleries of PAFA in 1979.

Over the years, Francis has received a number of awards, including the Julius Hallgarten Prize from the Academy of Design, New York in 1972, the Mary Butler Award from the Fellowship of PAFA in 1996, the Charles Knox Smith Founders Prize at the Woodmere Art Museum in 2002 and a Prize for Painting at Cheltenham Art Center in 2011.

His work is in many public and private collections, including the Noyes Museum of New Jersey, Woodmere Museum in Chestnut Hill, and the Federal Reserve Bank, Philadelphia. Francis is represented by Gross McCleaf Gallery, where he has had a dozen solo shows. He can be seen in the short film Larry Francis: Painting Philadelphia, by John Thornton.

Larry Francis - Artists - Gross McCleaf Gallery

Divine Lorraine Hotel,  36" x 48",  Oil On Canvas

Divine Lorraine Hotel

36" x 48"

Oil On Canvas

"I have always liked buildings. When I was 7 or 8 years old, I had a stay in the hospital. I must have drawn houses a lot. My parents said, 'he's going to be an architect'. Well, I'm still drawing buildings.

I do love living, growing things, but I usually paint them in the man-made environment - grass sprouting in the cracks in the sidewalk, trees that manage to push their way up along railroad tracks.

I would like my work to have a sense of the life of the city, not a tourist snapshot, really of the city. I think the best thing about my work (aside from any lasting quality it may have) is that I'm out there painting right on the street and people can enjoy watching the paintings develop."

- Larry Francis

Larry Francis - Artists - Gross McCleaf Gallery

Mason's, 24" x 30", Oil On Canvas

Many painters have captured scenes of everyday life, however, the paintings of Larry Francis are full of a glowing delight, derived from a fascination with the atmosphere of city life. Philadelphia is a frequent subject of his work, the pieces reflecting the personality of the industrial, yet often quaint, metropolis. Some of his paintings find nooks of the city that are serene; the secluded neighborhoods and parks that visitors do not always get the chance to see. Some are more active scenes; the bustling downtown areas and buildings that are more iconic to Philadelphia and the surrounding areas.

 

Francis uses gouache and oil paint to capture the light of the golden hour of the city with warm, luminous hues. He renders the most beautiful days in Fairmount Park, with crystal clear reflections of the sky on the water of the Schuylkill River. His paintings are refreshingly straightforward - nothing seems to be hidden - yet they often leave the viewer curious to learn more of the story. The joy infused into these works is infectious, and viewers might find themselves feeling nostalgic for a place they have never been.

 

Larry Francis has been showing with Gross McCleaf Gallery since 1982, and is currently an instructor in painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where he studied from 1967 to 1971.

 

Video

Larry Francis is Philadelphia's Most Enjoyable Artist

John Thornton

2019

Larry Francis has a FANTASTIC show of his paintings at Gross McCleaf Gallery through January 26, 2019!

Now before you start accusing us of prejudice, and yes, it is true we are the executive directors of the Larry Francis Museum of Ocean City, and have been friends with Larry for 40 years, just look at these paintings. They’re gorgeous! I stopped by a few days before his opening to chat with Larry about these beautiful paintings came to be.

Larry Francis: Painting Philadelphia

John Thornton

2010


For many years and with infinite patience, artist Larry Francis has been observing Philadelphia. He has come to know his city and through his oil and gouache paintings shares its beauty with us all.