Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1937, Fran Larsen grew up in the resort community of South Haven, Michigan, on the south end of Lake Michigan. As a child she learned about the "construction" of the land from an uncle who was a glacial geologist. She also drew at an early age, mentored in part by her grandmother who praised and posted her drawings. Larsen says that her paintings are metaphors of her reaction to New Mexico's geological grandeur and vibrant cultures. "I am inspired by the way the environment makes me feel," she says. "So, while I reference actual buildings and landscapes, my paintings are what I call 'self talk.' They are intensely personal dialogues between my perceptions and conception, between colors I see and colors that ...