Artist and poet, Franco Paisio arrived in Australia from Italy in 1958. Soon after his arrival, he worked with his father as a laboratory assistant in the production of ink, but left this job to study visual arts at the Piero Vannucci Academy, Perugia, in Italy; and at the Bissietta Art School, Sydney, and the East Sydney Technical College Arts School. He has held several solo exhibitions of his visual art work in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, as well as exhibiting in Denmark and Sweden.
Paisio has published two books of poetry in Italy, winning in 1961 first prize for poetry by the Italian Society of Authors. He has contributed many poems to established literary publications and anthologies, both in Australia and overseas. He has also given numerous poetry readings. In Australia, he established Illumination Press with the poet, Robert Adamson, in 1970. He was a contributing editor of Aspect from 1975 to 1985.
Paisio has lived in Sydney for many years.
