Born in 1947, Franny Orphée (née Frances Louise Mello) demonstrated a prodigious talent for drawing and illustration at the age of five, a talent she would continue to cultivate and nurture as an artist. Growing up in Fresno, California, the city offered few cultural outlets and opportunities for aspiring artists. Despite this and other obstacles, Franny followed her aspirations and continued degrees, dedicated and committed to her art and the importance of art as a lifelong pursuit.

As an artist, Franny’s work primarily focused on pencil and pen and ink drawings, producing hundreds of pieces during her career. Also gifted in sculpture, Franny produced a series of costumed sculptures over a ten year period with exhibitions in Dallas and Philadelphia. While not religious, Franny was always captivated by the symbols, rituals, and myths she learned through her schooling. The impact of this interest manifested itself in her artwork, creating pieces which often incorporated religious iconography.

While working on her major series, Franny frequently experimented with collage combining found images and text into new contexts. During her final years, Franny’s final major series focused exclusively on the art of paper collage, utilizing found text to create posters and abstract forms. Near the end of her life, suffering from dementia, she continued sketching and figure drawing until her passing in 2020, leaving behind a body of work that continues to excite and inspire to this day.