Bill Franz
Photography
In retirement I bought a camera, learned how to use it, and became a volunteer photographer. My first project was photographing dogs and cats at the Humane Society of Greater Dayton. That was so much fun that I went on to do photo projects for over a dozen other local nonprofits, plus local cities, schools, churches and small businesses.
After years of volunteer photography, I started exhibiting my work. Profits from the exhibition and sale of my prints went to the same local nonprofits I’ve done volunteer work for.
My art changed in September 2024 when Donald Trump, on national television, said Haitians in Springfield were eating people’s pets. Calling Haitians dog-eaters reminded me of the names the Tutsis were called before they were massacred in Rwanda, and the names Jews were called before their German citizenship was stripped away. I decided to start paying attention to government actions towards immigrants and then use art to help me process what I learned.
In 2025 I created a series of 12 pieces using photos of children to represent undocumented immigrant children. The government was abusing immigrants, the most vulnerable people in the country. I wanted to emphasize that by highlighting the most vulnerable members of that group – children. All 12 can be seen at https://billfranz.smugmug.com/SERIES/NOT-CRIMINAL
The work has been shown in exhibitions in Dayton, Cincinnati and Grand Rapids. The images are now hanging in homes, churches, high school classes, nonprofit offices and even a courtroom. The images are free to anyone willing to reimburse me for postage and the cost of printing.
More than 50 of the images have been printed on T-shirts and book bags. If you would like to do the same, I’d be happy to send a file you can use at no charge.
I’m currently working on a new series that also deals with the administration’s war on immigrants. It’s called “and I quote.”
Miquel is not a criminal
16x20
pigment ink on canvas