Francisco Castillo was born in Bilbao in 1926 and died in Maryland in 1999. Early in his childhood he moved to Algeciras, Cadiz and studied at the School of Arts and Crafts and then went on to Granada to study at the more prestigious School of Arts and Crafts there.
Ten years later, in 1951 he moved to Madrid where he refined his craft and began to collect awards. The French government gave him a scholarship and moved on to Paris where he studied at the famous Ecole des Beaux Arts. Exhibited in Paris, Geneva and several cities in Italy such as Venice and Rome.
"Rather eclectic in his taste, Paco Castillo is a realist painter in his expressive portraits. He is a follower of the impressionists in his landscapes. Castillo also enjoys urban landscapes and is often working in Madrid at night with wonderful chiaroscuro effects. Very sure of his ability to draw, he executes excellent drawings and works also in color-wash and in oil" (V. Figueras, La Revue Moderne, 1964
In 1967 Paco and his wife Angeles moved to the Washington area and bought a house in Bethesda. Soon he joined the Spanish community where he became a staple at all festivities, and gatherings. He played the guitar, mandolin, and other string instruments. He also founded the "Asociacion de Amigos de la Capa" organization that follows the traditions of the Spanish cape.
He exhibited widely in the Washington area at institutions like the Departament of Culture of the Distric of Columbia, the Veterans Administration, the Montgomery County Public Schools, the Embassy of Spain, the Casa de España in Baltimore, and a multitude of Galleries in the larger Baltimore-Washington area.
Paco died unexpectedly on December 20th, 1999 at his home in Kensington
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