The artist,
Born in 2004, Franchesca Bautista, known as Cai, spent her childhood in the Philippines before moving to Park City, Utah in 2015. Growing up between cultures and landscapes deeply shaped her sensitivity to memory, place, and identity.
Cai’s artistic journey started before the age of four; when she first started making birthday cards with drawings for her loved ones. She explored digital illustration when she first opened Microsoft Paint on her mother’s old computer. She felt immense joy when she saw glee on her loved one’s faces when seeing her drawings she made for them. With limited tools but boundless curiosity, she developed an early fascination with creating images that felt alive and intentional.
A few years later, she began experimenting with animation, drawing individual frames by hand and compiling them into short videos using her mother’s phone. She continued to self-study graphic design and animation using YouTube tutorials. Later, she joined product showcases in high school, leading her and her project members to 3rd place (2020 PCCAPS) and Top 5 (2021 PCCAPS) collaborating with different companies including The Playing for Life Foundation (role: website designer), Chicks Company (role: logo designer & animator), and Park City Soccer Club (filmmaker) with the help of mentor, Debra Corrigan.
At twelve years old, Cai gifted her grandfather her very first acrylic painting—a mountaintop view with ski lifts, capturing the moments they share on the slopes of Park City.
Her current practice centers on portraiture—both human and animal. Focusing on capturing presence rather than mere likeness. Each piece is created by hand, emphasizing authenticity, individuality, and emotional resonance. Whether portraying a beloved pet or a cherished person, Cai approaches every commission as a collaboration, aiming to preserve connection, memory, and character within each brushstroke.
