OBLATE ARTIST

Some interesting art for the feast of St. Benedict by a Benedictine Oblate, one who influenced Catholic art in the USA.

Born in 1920 in St. Paul, FRANK KACMARIK won a scholarship to the Minneapolis School of Art, where his painting and typography courses had a lifelong influence on him.

Frank entered St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota in 1941. His mentor was an Austrian monk who inspired him to regard his artwork as an authentic ministry. When he left the monastery to serve in World War II, he was stationed in Western Europe, where he observed the magnificent cathedrals, monasteries, and museums.

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He eventually studied further both at MCAD and in Paris, returning in 1950 to teach at St. John's. While there, he worked with the great Bauhaus architect Marcel Breuer on the design of the landmark Abbey church. He and Marcel became close friends, and Marcel designed a home and studio for Frank in St. Paul, refusing payment for the work.

Frank won over sixty national and international awards in book design and the graphic arts. He had a widespread influence in church design and communications after the liberalizations of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65).

His own collection of fine and rare books, manuscripts, fine art prints, and religious art objects, which he called Arca Atrium, "The Ark of the Arts"—was donated. to St. John's as a scholarly resource.prints

MCAD awarded Kacmarcik an Alumni Achievement Award in 1999. He died in 2004.