[3] Her mother, Josefina, was killed by thieves when Lourdes was 10 months old, causing her father to subsequently deteriorate mentally and physically as he suffered from depression, tuberculosis, and possibly schizophrenia.
[4][5][6] One of her non-religious painting series covered were domestic depictions of her grandfather's home, showing its high ceiling, marble floors, and curving grand staircase.
She studied fine art directly under two leading masters of the time, learning painting from Andre Lhote and etching and engraving from Stanley Hayter.
This was partly due to the crippling impact of her mental health on her career when it came to sustaining high-profile events such as book launches and major art exhibitions, which would remain a constant regret for the remainder of her life.
[9] The two remained close friends with Lourdes referring to Permuy as "mi hermana" ("my sister") in portraits; the two ultimately died within months of each other.
[3] Other significant friends and professional contacts included fellow Cuban exile artists Dionisio Perkins and Miguel Jorge.
Cano, thirty years her junior and now better known for his sculptural work, provided the illustrations to each poem in a style that was strongly reminiscent of Lourdes' own, reflecting her influence on him as a mentor.
[2] She displayed a deliberate lack of realism with her distinct expressionism that occasionally incorporated aspects of Surrealism and Fauvism, such as curving and floating objects, vivid and unnatural use of color, disproportionate size, and so on.
Noted Cuban art historian Lynette Bosch described Lourdes as "a strong painter" who used high color contrast as signature feature, creating an "emotional chiaroscuro" effect.
[2] Her subject matter ranged from interpretive portraits of friends to lush landscapes, often rural and tropical, and seasides recalling both scenes of her childhood in Cuba as well as new found inspiration from life in Miami.
[3] Other common themes and series include still lifes (such as flowers and fruit), animals associated with Cuba (e.g. roosters and fish), and spiritual imagery, such as angels and the Virgin Mary.
She left many of her works untitled and undated, letting them speak for themselves in her typically pure and straightforward manner; when titles are given, they are likewise simple, unpretentious, and directly descriptive.
She usually signed her paintings simply with "Lourdes" (as she was known by most)[3] and on occasion would leave preliminary sketches on the backside of her canvases, offering a playful glimpse into her creative process.
Many of her works are introspective and psychological, showing unique glimpses into her perspective as a female immigrant as well as her life-long struggle with mental illness.
[2] Her career was covered extensively by media in both Cuba and the United States,[12][13][4][5][6][7][8] conducted several interviews, and was profiled by El Nuevo Herald (including "Lourdes Gomez Franca – Imagenes Tortuadas"; June 27, 1988 and "Lourdes Gomez Franca: De La Furia A La Calma Una Tragica Historia Personal"; June 10, 1990) and The Palm Beach Post ("An Artist and Her Demon"; July 18, 1993[3] – redistributed on the San Francisco Chronicle, August 15, 1993).