Thursday, January 22, 2009

Rest in Peace, Fran

I have very sad news to report. Fran Weaver, the widow of Allentown artist Greg Weaver, died yesterday. She was a very talented artist who was part of an important independent art scene in Allentown which was started in the 1970's, and was led by her late husband, artist Greg Weaver. Fran was a member of our group, and attended the opening of The Momentum Show. Fran was very excited about Greg's work being shown at Momentum. When I spoke with her in December, she said that in the future she would like to talk to our group about Greg's work, and her plans for starting a Greg Weaver website. At the opening of Momentum, Rook Jones, who handles Greg's art work, showed me some small drawings done by Fran. They were beautiful figure drawings, and I hope we can include some of her work in our next show.

I do not have a photo of Fran at the Momentum show, but if anyone does, please post it at the blog, or send it to me. Yesterday, I was looking for Fran's phone number because I wanted to tell her about our Jan 31 meeting, but I could not find her number, and she does not have e-mail. I wish I could have spoken with her before she died. When I did speak with her in Dec., she was happy to hear about our group, and very interested in being part of the art scene in Allentown. Rook Jones will be informing me about funeral arrangements, and I will post that information here. Rest in Peace, Fran. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

UPDATE: I have included a photo of Fran and Rook Jones taken at Hava Java by Hub Willson.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting this. It's such a shame. I know she was really excited that Allentown had a new arts movement happening and she really wanted to get involved. She was also a tireless Obama campaign volunteer. I'm sorry to hear about her death.

Angie Villa said...

Has anyone seen an obit on Fran? Can't find it online.

Angie Villa said...

Thanks Rook Jones, for the photo of you and Fran. No word yet on services for Fran.

Bill Villa said...

Fran was a beautiful soul.

michael molovinsky said...

around 1980 fran worked at bethlehem steel. she was a very statuesque woman, and we joked that her presence there was a safety hazard for the men. during this time she produced an amazing series of very large paintings (6X10 ft.) on the open hearth and other aspects of bethlehem steel. these paintings projected enormous energy and were exhibited at kutztown university.

Anonymous said...

Could you please tell when the photo of Rook Jones and Fran Weaver that is posted on this site, was taken? Sandy

Angie Villa said...

Sandy,

Rook told me that the photo was taken at the Greg Weaver retrospective show at Hava Java just this past summer.

The ~Bella Ciao~ said...

thank you. i lost touch with fran for some years, but i always felt a connection with her free spirit and her passion. i now know i would have run into her at the momentum show if i hadn't been stricken with the flu that day, and it fills me with an indescribable sadness not to have been able to see her again. i can be contacted at myspace.com/lisavamp if anyone here has more on fran they would like to share or just wants to gab about art stuff. from there i'll give you my facebook. namaste and one love xoxoxo, lisa guest aka bella ciao.