Chris Francis, currently of Madison, South Dakota, has established himself as an emerging regional abstract artist through his work in redefining the language of the modern landscape.

Francis will be showing a body of distinctly abstract landscapes derived from the Badlands of South Dakota entitled 'Dakota Requiem', which he received a 2011 South Dakota Arts Council Artist Project Grant award to pursue, at the Wein Gallery at Presentation College of Aberdeen, South Dakota throughout November and December.

Originally from Eastern Iowa, Francis has exhibited his work throughout the region, including ten significant solo exhibitions, three 2-person exhibitions, and a number of juried showings all before the age of thirty.

In 2010, Francis exhibited at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa and as part of the 'Emerging Artist Showcase' hosted by Rug & Relic, and he was a guest artist at First Congregational Church for their distinguished fine arts series, both in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

In 2011, Francis exhibited at the '31st Annual Artists of the Plains Show & Sale' hosted by The Center of Western Studies of Augustana College, 'Artists Against Hunger', and for an extended 6 month showing at The Market on Phillips, all in Sioux Falls. He also participated in the Brookings Arts Council '35th Annual Juried Fine Arts Exhibition' which he placed third.

Francis was chosen to be part of 'Kaleidoscope', a special showing of emerging artists curated by D. George Prisbe at the South Dakota Governor's Awards in the Arts this past spring in Pierre, South Dakota.

This fall, Francis had a solo exhibition at Eastbank Cooperative Art Gallery in Sioux Falls, a 2-person exhibition at the Brookings Community Cultural Center, and participated at 'Paint the Night Pink' in Sioux Falls. Francis will again return to the '32nd Annual Artists of the Plains Show & Sale' this February in Sioux Falls.

In the summer of 2012, Francis will be exhibiting a new body of work along with debuts from artist Kevin Bierbaum at the Museum of Visual Materials in Sioux Falls.

Francis is also known for organizing several successful juried fundraising events, 'Point the Tail' was held at the Museum of Visual Materials in Sioux Falls to benefit The Retreat at Pointer's Ridge this past June, and 'Bankheist on the Eastbank' was held at 8th & Railroad Center this October to benefit the Robert Aldern Scholarship Fund at Augustana College.

Francis serves as President of the Madison Area Arts Council, one of South Dakota's premiere arts organizations.

His work can currently be found for purchase at The South Dakota Art Museum Store, located in Brookings, South Dakota and at Hallstrom Glass Studio and Gallery, located in Luverne, Minnesota.