Francis Galea

Artist Francis Galea is from Mosta but resides in Sliema. 

It is hard for Francis to imagine a different occupation. Art and design were the key to his success in life.

“Art gave me the courage to believe in myself”, Francis says, “and design helped me understand the theory and practice of projection, perspective, and development skills in positive thinking.”

Galea studied art in the late 1960s at the Malta School of Arts under the supervision of the late Esprit Barthet, Carmenu Mangion and Harry Alden.

His impressionist work is unique as he paints with the palette knife in broad yet precise strokes on canvas in his recognisable impasto technique.

The subject matter of his oeuvre is usually connected with scenes from the romantic past. 

Galea loves the knife since it allows him to convey the beauty and his impressions of Maltese landscapes and vistas in a tangible 3D manner.

His first personal exhibition was held at the National Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta Malta in 1980. Since then Francis’ work has been showcased in numerous collective and personal art exhibitions both locally and worldwide, from Japan and Australia to Milan and London. 

With a mention in The International Dictionary of Artist who Painted Malta, palette knife virtuoso Francis Galea was an obvious choice and we look forward to seeing his contest’s interpretation and bettija’rt.