Francis Kohler
Lead Teacher - Person-Centered Services
Staff Member since 1995
By Thomas Pringle
Born and wilted in Sacramento, CA, Francis moved to San Francisco in 1985 to study sculpture and film at the San Francisco Art Institute. After graduating in 1989 with a BFA he spent the next five years at miscellaneous jobs to cover the basics while curating various one-word group exhibitions.
After an unplanned (yet awe-inspiring) visit to the Creativity Explored studio (circa 1993) Francis began volunteering there in 1994. This lead to substituting, and then working part-time at CE’s second studio (CE2) when it opened in 1995. He became a full-time teacher/facilitator in 1996, and the Studio Manager at CE2 in 2002.
With former CE instructor, Todd Herman, Francis produced two poetic documentaries profiling a number of artists at CE2. He continues to live (somewhat miraculously) in San Francisco and sporadically makes collages, drawings, dioramas, and zines.
Learn more about his art online: primitiveprimatepress.com
“I’m sure I’ve learned more about making art from the artists at Creativity Explored than they’ve learned from me. I just hope what I’ve offered in return is as valuable.”
