Local spotlight: Franklin Sinanan

Franklin Sinanan has no formal art training. He mixes oils and acrylics; leaves his brushes in dirty water; and forgoes canvas for paper, wood or anything he can find. He also doesn't care about selling his work, and that gives him freedom to tackle what he likes.

"Rooster" by Franklin Sinanan

Recently, he's had a growing interest in rituals associated with religions including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Voodoo and Santeria. It's not that Sinanan is an expert on rituals. He simply feels they're the one thing all religions share, and that whether they involve candles, fire, incense, oil, blood, offerings, sacrifices or crosses, there are patterns and similarities among them.

Imagery and items associated with these rituals appear in works he's exhibiting in "The Afterlife," an exhibition running through Aug. 5 at ArtCenter/South Florida. It also includes works by Alex Heria, whose sparkly Swarovski crystal-laden religious icons depict the connection between Catholicism and money, and Byron Keith Byrd, who created "Religious Trap," a 9-foot cross made from more than 300 spring-loaded mousetraps.

Sinanan will exhibit paintings, including two that depict roosters as a reference to animal sacrifices, as well as "A Life's Journey Altar," his sculpture featuring tarot cards, rosary beads, angels, candles, skulls, Buddha statues, feathers, skeletons and artificial flowers ... To read the rest of Arterpillar's story, visit the July 8 Lifestyle section of the Sun Sentinel.

Above are images of several of Sinanan's works, including some from "The Afterlife."