Frederick Franck Sculpture
Nestled two hours north of New York City is a little town called Warwick. There you’ll find a trans-religious sanctuary and art museum of peace and understanding called Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth).
This was the home of Frederick and Claske Franck, who are no longer living. Their son Lukas, and many volunteers, keep Pacem in Terris open to the public year round. In 2007, I had a dream come true when I visited this place with a group of friends. Franck is one of my top 10 heroes.
How did I learn about Pacem in Terris?
Inspiration comes in the most unexpected places. Years ago, I took a drawing class at a local art center because a friend suggested it would help me with my photography. Now, I advise everyone to take a drawing class, especially those who think they can’t draw. It’s simply not true.
The class I took was based on the classic book by Betty Edwards, The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain: A Course in Enhancing Creativity and Artistic Confidence
The last chapter of the book is called the Zen of Seeing and there is a reference to writer, sculptor and painter Frederick Franck. He is the author of the classic book, The Zen of Seeing. Franck was a dentist and his life changed when he worked with Albert Schweitzer in Africa. Schweitzer is known for emphasizing “ultimate reverence for life”.
For Franck, drawing was a form of meditation. He often experienced a complete merging with the subject of his drawings, which is where the Zen comes in.
“I have learned that what I have not drawn I have never really seen, and that when I start drawing an ordinary thing i realize how extraordinary it is, sheer miracle.” ~ Frederick Franck, Zen of Seeing: Seeing/Drawing as Meditation
Drawing is one way to have this type of experience and photography can be another. There are many ways to learn to see what is in front of us but he have to be open and attentive.
Learning about Franck, the man and his work, has taken me on a journey in seeing which changed my life.
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