While many know Leigh Francis best for his television comedy and iconic characters spanning decades on British screens – from Bo’ Selecta! to Celebrity Juice – he is also an accomplished artist. Now you can enjoy his art, as well as his comedy, in your own home.
Having studied graphic design at Jacob Kramer College (now Leeds Arts University), Francis has maintained a lifelong creative practice. Working largely on an iPad, like his artistic hero David Hockney, his aesthetic combines bold line work, expressive digital portraiture, and nostalgia rooted in 1980s pop culture.
Vieunite is thrilled to announce that Francis has joined our library as a Featured Artist, alongside an ever-growing community of contemporary artists and collections from world-leading institutions. Today, he shares his artwork directly with homes across the UK and beyond, on the Vieunite Textura digital art canvas.
Meet the Artist Behind the Characters
For Francis, art has always gone hand in hand with his television career. His artwork draws on high-contrast lines, caricature, and homage to his youth, with his collection featuring surreal visual mashups and hand-drawn recreations of 1980s pop culture and magazine covers. Together, these create a style that is both subversive and visually engaging. As Francis explains:
“A lot of people know me as the characters I’ve played on tv, Keith Lemon, Avid Merrion, the Bear etc.. but when I’m not messing about on telly in the guise of some character I’ve created, I like nothing more than extreme sports! Surf boarding, snowboarding, wake boarding! Anything with a board! I’m kidding of course, my work on telly has always been very visual because basically I do a lot of art in my spare time.”
By stepping forward in his own right, Francis is giving audiences a chance to experience the hand-drawn digital craft that underpins his wider creative work.
Bringing Art Straight into Everyday Spaces
Art in the home should be active rather than static. Vieunite was built on the idea that digital canvases can make art accessible, transforming everyday spaces with dynamic artwork. Leigh’s arrival follows conversations inspired by a shared passion for making art more accessible and bringing it into people’s everyday lives.
Francis’s collection brings a distinct British visual satire into the living room, with high-contrast, colourful designs that invite conversation. His work can also be displayed in commercial spaces, bringing his distinctive combination of nostalgia, pop culture and humour to a completely new setting.
Speaking about joining the Vieunite platform, Francis noted:
“When I first found out about Vieunite and its mission to bring art to people’s lives, I felt it was the perfect fit for me. My work is mostly a mix of graphic nostalgia, bright fun pop art, and seeing it displayed on these incredible digital canvases is a fantastic way to bring that anarchic joy straight into people’s everyday lives.”
Enjoy Leigh Francis’ Art in Your Own Home
Bring that pop-art nostalgia home and juice your sitting room. Discover Leigh Francis’ collection on Vieunite and experience his art on the Textura digital canvas.
As Keith might say: Bang tidy!
Vieunite is redefining how people discover and experience art through a curated digital art library and a range of Home and Pro digital canvases. With a mission to make art more accessible, Vieunite brings world-class artwork into homes, businesses, and public spaces, creating new opportunities for both audiences and artists.