FRANK PUTS ART IN SHOP WINDOW By Caroline Wilson, The Evening Times 15th June 2010

By Caroline Wilson

A Glasgow-based artist hopes his unusual city centre exhibition will encourage people to invest in fine art.

Frank To, whose fans include Star Trek star Sir Patrick Stewart, is showing his latest works across the windows of a vacant shop as part of a major Glasgow City Council regeneration project.

The installation, on a three-storey building in St Vincent Street, is part of the £300,000 Style Mile initiative, which aims to help the city beat off competition from out-of-town shopping centres, attract tourists and fight the recession.

To's unique painting technique is earning him international recognition among art critics and high-profile collectors as a leading contemporary figurative painter.

The Falkirk-born painter hopes the shop project, which was backed by Braewell Galleries, will open up fine art to a wider audience and encourage more of the public to see art as a good investment.

He said: "Artists and galleries in Scotland are suffering due to people not buying art. It's not that people can't afford to. It's just that a majority are afraid to do so.

"As well as inspiring the general public with this kind of project, I'm hoping it will also encourage them to go to art galleries to view the actual work.

"With many investors reluctant to put their hard-earned savings into stocks and shares at present, fine art offers an attractive alternative asset. Depending on the artist, the value of art rarely falls over the medium to long term."

Born in 1982, To has exhibited alongside some of the greats of the international contemporary art scene, such as Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst.

His work has featured in several national art fairs and shows in Glasgow, London, Bath and Dundee and in various episodes of the STV detective drama Rebus.

For more information, please visit the official website of Frank To Fine Artist.

OPEN DOORS AT TOP ARTIST'S CITY BASE

FAST- RISING art star, Glasgow- based Frank To, will reveal the secret of his success this weekend as part of WASPS Artists' Open Studios Weekend.

The 26- year- old is among dozens of exciting young painters and sculptors whose work will feature in the event at the Dennistoun venue over Saturday and Sunday.

Last year the studio's open weekend, in the East End's Hanson Street, saw around 4500 visits and generated £35,000 in sales and commissions across Scotland.

For more information, please visit the official website of Frank To Fine Artist.

TO BOLDLY GO....FOR A SHOWCASE

A New breed of Glasgow artist whose work is collected by Star Trek hero Patrick Stewart is to showcase his latest work at Glasgow Art Fair.

Newton Mearns- based Frank To is showing three new pieces of work following successful exhibitons in London and the United States.

The 26- year- old who paints at the WASPS Artists' Studios in Dennistoun is being promoted by the Mansfield Park Gallery.

Only Time, Rewrite and Titan are some of his most evocative works to date.

He said: "My work used to be more figurative, but my new work is more personal. People will be able to relate to what's in the paintings more."

Patrick Stewart (aka Captain Jean- Luc Picard) has so far bought five of the Scot's paintings.

Frank studied art at Huddersfield University and Duncan of Jordanstone College in Dundee, and previously showed work with Tunbridge Wells- based gallery, Fairfax.

He added: "The Art Fair shows on an international level that Scotland has a strong art reputation, with artists such as Peter Howson, Ken Currie and Jack Vettriano. It helps put Scotland on the map in the art world."

For more information, please visit the official website of Frank To Fine Artist

ART SCHOOL REJECT BOLDLY GOES SKY- HIGH IN CAREER by Ross McKinnon, The Evening Times Oct 27th 2006

By Ross McKinnon

STAR TREK legend Patrick Stewart has declared the work of a Glasgow School of Art reject to be "out of this world".

Frank To, 24, has sold three canvases to the actor best known as Captain Picard in the TV series.

The self- employed artist works in Wasp studio in Dennistoun and graduated from Huddersfield University with a BA honours in painting and drawing before completing his MA in fine art at Dundee's Duncan of Jordanstone College last year,

Frank said: "I met Patrick after my degree show in Huddersfield and was slightly hungover at the time as I had been celebrating.

"When he came in I sobered up pretty quickly. He's a fan of art and liked what he saw of my paintings.

"Our relationship took off from there and last year he bought my work for his own collection."

Now the young painter is enjoying an exhibition in the West End alongside famous Glasgow artist Peter Howson.

Frank admitted his success has pleasantly surprised him.

He said: "I'm working non- stop at the moment and have had several exhibitions in London which have sold out. It's a great honour to have my paintings shown next to Peter Howson, who I admire.

My art is also very dark and has an unusual approach. It begins as abstract, with no formal structure, before I use a more specific technique to tweak the figure out of the painting."

Frank may be making waves in the art scene but he knows how to keep his feet on the ground- by working in his family's Chinese restaurant, Mearns Wok.

He said: "I help out occasionally when they are understaffed. I can't say no -I'd feel guilty. Besides, it teaches me to be humble.

"I don't think it would be a good idea to hang up any of the paintings in the restaurant- it might put people off their food."

Frank's work can be seen at Mansfield Park Gallery, Hyndland Street, until November 18 in the show, Figuratively Speaking.

Jim Birrel, who is responsible for undergraduate admissions at Glasgow School of Art, said: "Obviously, we don't have a monopoly on graduates. We are happy to see any artist doing so well. I wish him all the best."

For more information, please visit the official website of Frank To Fine Art