About the Artist
Wayne Franklin’s paintings inhabit the space between gesture and atmosphere, where layers of color and texture unfold like landscapes of memory and color.
A lifelong art lover, Franklin began painting seriously after retiring from nearly five decades as a pulpit rabbi. In both vocations he has been drawn to layers—of text, of tradition, of human experience. Just as sacred writings build upon earlier voices, his paintings carry traces of their own histories: colors, marks, and textures from earlier stages remain visible, adding resonance and discovery.
Working in acrylics as well as oil and cold wax, using brushes, squeegees, palette knives and other tools, Franklin creates abstractions that are not depictions of external scenes but invitations to reflection—windows into unseen landscapes of memory, spirit, and imagination.
Curriculum Vitae
Educational Background
1965 BA in Sociology from Yeshiva University
1968 MHL (Master in Hebrew Literature) Jewish Theological Seminary of America
1970 Rabbinic Ordination, Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Professional Positions
1970 -75 Rabbi of Temple B’nai Shalom, Benton Harbor, MI
1975-81 Rabbi of Orange Synagogue Center, Orange, CT
1981-2019 Senior Rabbi of Temple Emanu-El, Providence RI
2019 – Senior Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Emanu-El
Current Community Positions
Co-Chair of RI Jewish-Catholic Dialogue
Member and Past Vice President of National Council of Synagogues
Member of Miriam Hospital Ethics Committee
Member of Miriam Hospital Board of Governors
Member of the Board of Managers at the Providence Art Club
Community/Cultural Organization Memberships
Providence Athenaeum
RISD Museum
Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM)
Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association
Creative Process
Learn more about how these works come to life.