Frankie was born in Landstuhl, Germany. Inspired by Civil War history, he began to draw and paint constantly at the age of 12. His appreciation of military service and his father's service in the U.S. Army led him to join the Army National Guard in 2000. He served six years with Headquarters Battery, 2/111th Field Artillery at Petersburg, VA. Frankie studied at Richard Bland College, where he decided to pursue a career in painting. He completed a BFA in Painting and Printmaking at Virginia Commonwealth University and his longtime passion for history led him to study Latin and Greek at the University of Washington. Frankie continues to be inspired by art history, notably 15th Century Italian and Netherlandish Art, 17th Century Dutch painting, and 19th Century landscape painters. Living in the Pacific Northwest fosters his love for landscape painting.