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Kelly Franké of Greenport transformed her passion for art into a business

Art has been a part of Kelly Franké’s life for as long as she can remember.

Her father was an illustrator who worked from their Babylon home and Franké, now a Greenport resident, recalled building a makeshift fort under his desk where she would sketch while he worked.

It inspired her to pursue her own career in art.

“Moving out here is really what made a huge difference for me,” Franké said during an interview in her Main Street studio. She grew up on Long Island, but moved to Astoria after finishing graduate school, and maintained a home studio there for about three years until deciding to check out the North Fork.

Here she has more space to work, which she said gives her an overall better workflow. Franké specializes in linear landscapes and uses charcoal to draw on pieces of wood.

She is influenced by her surroundings, so having a studio at the corner of Front and Main streets means her drawings feature boat and harbor landscapes.

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