Francis A. Noonan

Fran Noonan was born in Buffalo, New York, in 1954. As the seventh of eight children, he was fortunate to have a nurturing family. Classical music was played often, and everyone took piano lessons. Fran's mother encouraged creativity through periodic creative exhibits. Many foreign exchange students, from all over the world, became part of the family, which provided great exposure, and also necessitated many trips to Niagara Falls, the Albright Knox Art Gallery, and Kleinhan's Music Hall. In 1961, a trip to the Vincent Van Gogh exhibit at the Albright Knox, and the purchase of the glossy catalogue with color pictures, intensified Fran's interest in the art world. His family had been encouraging and complimentary of his artwork, but this trip changed things somehow. His attraction to these works did not go unnoticed by his mother, resulting in a trip to Bond's Art Supply. With a set of oil paints, brushes, a painting knife, and some pieces of masonite, Fran was on his way. He exhibited at the Allentown Art Show at age 14. His oil painting continued through high school, where he had a wonderful, encouraging art teacher in John Bednarchik. Fran decided that formal training in art or piano would not be right for him, so rather than go to college, he took a job as a carpenter. He married at 20, had three children with his wife, Karen, and played classical piano in his spare time. As his children got older, he began piano lessons with a UB graduate student, and this became quite addictive. He joined the Chromatic Connection branch of the Chromatic Club and continues to participate to this day. At age 49, Fran's yearning to return to art could no longer be suppressed, and after a series of drawings and a few oil paintings, the path was clear. Shortly thereafter, he inherited a generous quantity of art supplies from his uncle, John Quinn, a Buffalo Society of Artists member, who had consistently urged a return to painting. Armed with the materials and the desire, Fran soon became a member of the Western New York Artists Group. The following year, he was accepted as a member of the Buffalo Society of Artists, and most recently, an associate member of the Oil Painters of America. Fran’s work can be seen at Meibohm Fine Arts.