Short Bio
I am Marchell Francisco and my passion is designing and producing amazing string art pieces.
Statement
I love creating string art because it allows me to utilize my mathematical skills, my mechanical skills, and my design creation skills.
It is a very unique form of art for a number of reasons. I must consider which geometric equations in which combinations to utilize. What kind of 3D effect I want to create and how to create these effects. What kind of nails and length of nails to utilize. What kind of strings and colors of strings to utilize. And what equations I should use to apply the strings to the nails to achieve my designs.
My goal is to create pieces that are mesmerizing and that can bring out different thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
Biography
Around 1970, when I was a mathematics graduate from Pennsylvania State University, I fell in love with geometric shapes and art. At that time, a fad called “string art” started. I created some string art design pieces to hang on our walls at home.
I then entered the world of high tech and became an executive in some of the most exciting companies including Apple, IBM, and Brocade. After leaving the corporate world, I worked with a number of start-ups. I also became a founder of a successful start-up company.
In 2020, while being sequestered in our home in San Jose, CA due to the Covid pandemic, I needed something to do, and the thought of creating string art came into my mind. I started by working on some simple string art designs. But I wanted to create pieces that were mesmerizing and that can bring out different thoughts, feelings, and emotions. I immersed myself in reviewing geometric patterns and formulas of some of the great mathematicians, and studied patterns such as Fibonacci spirals, Metatron’s Cube, Fractals, and Torus.
As I created these pieces, I learned that it was not a simple process, and that many of the right tools and materials did not exist. I explored different wood mediums, unique nail types and lengths, different thread colors and thicknesses. I developed some tools that would make it easier to create the designs. By utilizing different nails and threads, I taught myself how to emphasize different 3D effects in many of my pieces.
I became Marchell Francisco, the string artist. Every piece that I produce brings me joy and a sense of accomplishment.
