The paintings of Franco Farina span the real and the supernatural. Their otherworldly aesthetic evokes a universe where anything could happen. Farina’s profile is one of 200 “Meet a Scientologist” videos on the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.

Italian painter Franco Farina believes in dreams—those he depicts in his paintings, and those he makes come true.

“In this society,” says the 53-year-old Lombardy-based artist, “nobody unrolls the red carpet in front of you and says ‘We are here at your service to realize your dreams.’ It takes courage and a positive attitude to accomplish your goals, but it also takes an understanding of life.”

Farina credits Scientology with giving him the tools to translate his vision into reality.

A chance encounter at a restaurant in Pordenone with a stranger who became a lifelong friend led Farina to the Church of Scientology of Milan and a book by L. Ron Hubbard, Self Analysis.

"Using the procedures in this book I became more cheerful—my outlook in life improved and I felt more alive,” he says.

At the time, Farina was serving in the Italian army. He was surprised to find that as he himself changed, the people around him seemed to transform—even his military superiors.

“My commanding officer was no longer ‘The Captain!,’ he actually became a friend.”

Once out of the army and pursuing his career, Scientology continued to help him, this time giving him practical tools to translate his ideas into reality.

Artists commonly complain that they would rather stay in the studio and leave the business end to others. They are often stymied when it comes to promoting themselves and their work. This was yet another way Scientology helped Farina. The practical communication skills he learned freed him of any reluctance to make his work known, and he also availed himself of the know-how Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard developed on the subject of art.

“Applying this data allowed me to improve the quality of communication in my work,” says Farina.

As an artist, Farina believes it is important to keep in mind that one’s work has broad effects.

“It is not just about painting a canvas or writing a book or poem. Each work is a communication. Who knows how far it will reach or for how long? Being an artist carries with it a responsibility for the effects your work will have on the culture. And I believe that effect should be positive.”

View the Franco Farina video on www.scientology.org.

The popular “Meet a Scientologist” profiles on the Church of Scientology International Video Channel at Scientology.org now total 200 broadcast-quality documentary videos featuring Scientologists from diverse locations and walks of life. The personal stories are told by Scientologists who are educators, teenagers, skydivers, a golf instructor, a hip-hop dancer, IT manager, stunt pilot, mothers, fathers, dentists, photographers, actors, musicians, fashion designers, engineers, students, business owners and more.

A digital pioneer and leader in the online religious community, in April 2008 the Church of Scientology became the first major religion to launch its own official YouTube Video Channel, which has now been viewed by millions of visitors.