
In the Netflix series Grace and Frankie, Frankie, played by Lily Tomlin, is an artist. However, the artwork presented in the show as created by Frankie is not made by Tomlin but by Chicago-based artist Nancy Rosen. Rosen created original work for the series over its eight-year run. In Season 3, Episode 1, Frankie has an art show, which is also the title of the episode, and Rosen was an extra in it.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Artist | Nancy Rosen |
| Artist's Location | Chicago |
| Artist's Studio Location | Rogers Park |
| Artist's Role | Created original work for the series |
| Artist's Website | www.nrosen.com |
| Artist's Comments on the Work | "I did a whole series of dogs because I did the poodles for them...Normally I say no, but painting the dog was so fun." |
| Artist's Comments on the Process | "They call me up and they say...I see the phone number and I'm like, 'OK, here we go, click, click. I know this painting is going to be needed in like three-four days.' And they say to me, 'OK, so, we need a pig.' And I just say yes." |
| Artist's Work in the Show | Season 3, Episode 1 |
| Artist's Involvement in the Show | Also worked as an extra in the art show episode |
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What You'll Learn

Artist Nancy Rosen created the paintings
Rosen's work was featured in the 2017 episode of the show titled 'The Art Show'. In the episode, Frankie's art show is the setting for family tensions and minor dramas. One character, Sol Bergstein, comments on Frankie's painting, noting the 'rage' evident in each brush stroke and the bold use of yellow.
In addition to her work on Grace and Frankie, Rosen also offers studio tours of her Chicago workspace. Visitors can see her work in person and learn about her creative process.
The artwork featured in Grace and Frankie has clearly made an impression on viewers, with some discovering their appreciation for the paintings after multiple rewatches of the show. The paintings have prompted viewers to seek out the artist and learn more about her work, demonstrating the power of art to inspire and engage audiences.
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Rosen is based in Chicago
The paintings featured in the Netflix series Grace and Frankie were created by Chicago-based artist Nancy Rosen. Rosen is based in Chicago and has been creating artwork for the show for the entirety of its eight-year run. She lent her studio items to the production to make Frankie's art studio more authentic and personal. In fact, Rosen's studio and Frankie's are so similar that they share the same items, such as paintbrushes, squeezed tubes, and oil bars.
Rosen has shared that the process of creating paintings for the show is often chaotic. Since the show's creators are unsure of their exact needs, Rosen's work is constantly evolving to meet their changing requirements. This can be challenging, but Rosen is always ready to help, sharing that when "Grace and Frankie call, it's always a Hollywood emergency. I just go, they call, and my husband watches my head and it goes, click, click, click."
Rosen's original artwork can be viewed and purchased on her website, nrosen.com, where she sells high-quality fine art prints and hand-painted laptop covers featuring her artwork from the show. She also welcomes visitors to her Chicago studio, which she loves sharing with guests.
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Rosen's work is featured in Season 3, Episode 1
The artwork featured in the Netflix comedy-drama series Grace and Frankie is by Chicago-based artist Nancy Rosen. Rosen's work is featured in Season 3, Episode 1, and onwards, as the artist who creates Frankie's paintings. Rosen's style, characterised by rich colours, expressive patterns, and bold brushstrokes, became the artistic voice of Frankie. The artist's work is also featured on laptop covers seen in the show.
In Season 3, Episode 1, Frankie's art show is a central plot point, with family tensions and minor dramas playing out at the exhibition. One of the paintings at the show is interpreted as a reflection of Sol Bergstein's character, with the bold use of yellow expressing rage.
The production designer for Season 3, Devorah Herbert, incorporated articles from her real life and personal experiences into the series to add texture and authenticity. For example, one of the artists featured in Frankie's studio in Season 1 is Herbert's mother, who created semi-pornographic art in the 1970s. This theme of explicit sexual art is also reflected in Frankie's work, with vagina prints and penis pottery.
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$14.49

Frankie's art show is filled with family drama
The art show also brings up emotions tied to Frankie's ex-husband, Sol Bergstein, as he views one of her paintings. Sol interprets the artwork as a reflection of Frankie's rage towards him, evident in every brush stroke. The bold use of yellow in the painting further emphasizes this interpretation.
The paintings featured in the show, including the one that Sol reacts to, were not created by the character Frankie or the actress Lily Tomlin. Instead, they were the work of Chicago-based artist Nancy Rosen, who lent her talent to the popular Netflix series. Rosen's studio in Rogers Park is filled with countless pieces she has created over the years.
Rosen's involvement in the show typically began with a phone call from the production team, who would give her a prompt, such as painting a pig, and she would then create several versions for them to choose from. She also provided props and art supplies to make Frankie's art studio more authentic.
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Rosen also lent her artwork to the set
While Lily Tomlin, who plays Frankie Bergstein in the Netflix series Grace and Frankie, is an artist on the show, she is not the creator of the artwork. The artist behind Frankie's paintings is Chicago-based Nancy Rosen, who lent her artwork to the set. She also lent items to the production to make Frankie's art studio more personable. Rosen's work can be seen most prominently in Season 3, Episode 1, when Frankie has her art show; Rosen was also an extra in this episode.
Rosen has shared her experience of creating artwork for the show:
> "When 'Grace and Frankie' call, it's always a Hollywood emergency. I just go, they call, and my husband watches my head and it goes, click click click. [...] That's the thing about doing a painting for them. If it's for an episode, it starts as one thing because they don't quite know."
Rosen also recalled a time when she was asked to paint a pig:
> "I've never painted a pig in my life, I've never thought about a pig. So then I Google 'pigs.' Then what I do over here is I paint several pigs, 'cause they don't know what they want, really, and I don't know. So we meet. I start drawing the pigs, send pictures, and we figure out what the pig's going to be."
Rosen's studio in Rogers Park is home to thousands of pieces she has created over the decades. She also sells high-quality fine art prints and hand-painted laptop covers (as seen in the show) on her website.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Chicago-based artist Nancy Rosen created the paintings for the show.
Yes, you can buy high-quality fine art prints and hand-painted laptop covers featuring Frankie's paintings from the show.
Rosen's studio is in Rogers Park, Chicago, where she has hundreds, if not thousands, of her artworks.
Rosen receives a call from the show requesting a painting, often with very little time to complete it. She then paints several versions of what they ask for, and they decide together which one works best.
In Season 3, Episode 1, Frankie has an art show featuring Rosen's paintings, and Rosen was even an extra in the episode. Rosen also painted a portrait of Frankie as Frida.










































