I only knew Silvana Giacobini by name and was not aware of her professional charisma and ability as editor of the weekly magazines Diva and Donna, and as a fiction writer. My interpretation of her portrait was based on my artistic sensitivity. When we eventually met in person, she confirmed my impressions and I discovered a lady of enormous humanity, intelligence, sensitivity and subtle irony: in other words, a ‘Queen of Hearts’ in the true sense of the word.
In December 2009, during a charity auction to collect funds for the AMICO CHARLY Association, of which Paola Franchi is Vice-President, Alessandro bought a portrait that Paola had donated to the event. When the artist asked him if he intended giving the portrait to his mother (maybe she thought he was a young man with little interest in holding onto the portrait for himself) Alessandro replied. “Absolutely not, I am delighted to own it”. He said he really loved the picture and intended hanging it in his bedroom.
During the inauguration of the exhibition ‘Mermaids’, Francesca complimented the artist on her work and mentioned that her daughter loved the Disney cartoon version of the Little Mermaid and was ecstatic to see that she had been transformed into a little mermaid.
“Emilio is a someone who had to be included!” exclaimed Paola Franchi. “It is very unlikely that he will find any assistants to read the weather forecast in the ocean depths’...
Debora and I have known each other for years and even though her theater commitments mean we rarely meet-up as she spends most of the year touring around Italy, when she lands in Milan, she will always invite me to the opening night; it is as though we had coffee together a week earlier for a chat, such is the friendship between us. When she stays in the city for a while, we try to see each other as often as possible...
When Costantino heard that Paola Franchi was looking for models for her new collection of portraits ‘Mermaids’; he sent her a series of very sexy photographs!! The choice was difficult but the result was undeniably attractive...
In 2009, following the first exhibition of “Fantasy Portraits”, Paola Franchi was invited to the show “Festa Italiana” broadcast by RAI. The presenter, Caterina Balivo, welcomed her enthusiastically and interviewed her about her life and her activity as a portrait artist. Paola promised her a portrait. In 2010, it was included in the new collection ‘Mermaids’. The interview was repeated this year in the program “Pomeriggio sul 2” during which Caterina saw the portrait on live TV. She commented: “It is beautiful… I am naked, but thankfully you added strategically placed shells!!”
These two young beautiful people are friends of Paola Franchi. She gave them a portrait as a wedding present! The artist mixed Blanca’s gentle beauty, with its tangible emotions, with the warm sensual colors of her homeland, Spain. The result is a magical combination.
Bruno is an important and enigmatic person and one of Paola Franchi’s close friends. When she spoke with him one day during a rare moment of relaxation for both of them, a hidden side of his personality was discovered: he is still a youngster at heart with a burning desire for adventure…
Paola, how did you know that my favorite color is GOLD?
In a golden ray
Annamaria is a very astute family lawyer, and more importantly she is a woman: beautiful, feisty and with determination to sell. When I was creating her portrait, as I hadn’t spoken with her in advance, I simply allowed myself to be carried by my own inner feelings. I envisaged her inside a shaft of golden light!
A mermaid rises from the water, beautiful and with discrete sensuality; she holds a shell in her hands and this encapsulates and describes the untouched secrets of the ocean depths – the secrets that only the mermaids know...
