About me

Short Bio

Francesca is an Edinburgh-based Maltese illustrator and picture book maker. She is fascinated with heightening everyday lie and the mundane, through whimsical and emotional characters and stories. The themes surrounding inclusivity, mental health and wellbeing have become an important part of her practice. She often combines her illustrative work with material such as textiles and paper-cutting as an additional layer for her storytelling.

Francesca has so far illustrated 4 children’s books including a Maltese adaptation of ‘The House that Sneezed’ (2020) and the award-winning, Maltese children’s fiction series of ‘Irvin Vella, Virtual Investigator’ (2021, 2022). She had her debut exhibition ‘Drip Drop’ (2018).

Looking for

Artistic opportunities, collaboration and networking

Other Roles Artist, Digital Artist
Skills Concept Creation Drawing Figurative Ink Mixed Media

Education

Education History

Masters in Illustration, Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh, 2021-2022

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) Degree, University of Malta, 2014-2017

Experience

Exhibitions

2021 – The 20s Take Two – Online Art Exhibition by ARTZ ID and Christine X Gallery

2020 – ARTNA – Online Poster Exhibition by Malta Community of Illustrators

2019 – The Levi’s Trucker Jacket Design Contest Exhibition -Levi’s, Valletta, Malta

2018 – Qatra Qatra -Cafe Society, Valletta, Malta

2017 – Distorja -MARIE Gallery 5, Mosta, Malta (as part of the BFA in Digital Arts Course at the University of Malta)

Achievements

Awards

2017 – 1st Place at the Literary Art Contest for the National Book Festival in Malta

 

Press

Jul 2021 – Meet illustrator and digital artist Francesca Grech : Feature on ArtzID

Mar 2021 – 10 Upcoming Female Artists to look out for on the Network : Feature on ArtzID

Mar 2021 – Artwork featured in Goldfoil Magazine

Feb 2021 – Artwork featured in OVERDUE Magazine

Nov 2020‘Il-Familja Frattarija’ featured in the Malta Community of Illustrators – Illustrators Annual 2020

May 2020 – ‘The Balcony in C-Major’ featured on the Bologna Children’s Online Special Edition Book Fair 2020, Online Illustrators Wall

August 2019 – ‘These 8 Up-And-Coming Visual Artists are Taking Malta by Storm’ : Feature on Lovin Malta

Nov 2018 – ‘Are You What You Drink?’ : Feature on Times of Malta by Jessica Arena

 

Work

2021 – Irvin Vella – Il-Każ tat-Tfajla Maħtufa: Illustrations for a children’s book.

2020 – Il-Kaxxa tal-Memorji: Illustrations for a children’s book.

2020 – Il-Familja Frattarija: Illustrations for a children’s book. Published by Merlin Publishers

2019 – NINU: Poster design and marketing for a theatre production at Spazju Kreattiv

2017 – K-T-B: Illustrations for a children’s schoolbook. Published by Merlin Publishers