Page 6 - Br. Chapman :: Opening the Gift

Male and

Female He

Created

Them

Soon after completing the Masters’ Ken His works filled two storerooms in the John Driscoll, President of Iona College,
was assigned to the new Brother Rice Brothers’ residence. When asked to called upon to offer workshops at the
High School. Every effort was made to put on an exhibit at the neighboring St. Congregation Generalate in Rome, would
bring together a highly qualified faculty Xavier University, Ken asked me, a first- leave a CHAPMAN after each visit as an
to launch what was intended as a flagship year teacher at the time, to help him expression of gratitude for the hospitality
school for boys on the far South Side of load a truck and transport the twenty or received. Brothers participating in the
Chicago. Brother Chapman headed up thirty canvases to the University gallery. International Tertian Program in Rome
a one-man art department with a large, On the return trip, once back inside our from England, Ireland, India, Africa,
dedicated classroom/studio. He was to house, I refused to help him move the Australia, and South America admired
develop the program as he saw fit, but works back into the storerooms unless the work and when passing through the
within the limitation of being the only he select a few to hang on the lifeless United States ask a too willing Brother
art teacher and having responsibility to walls of the residence. He explained that Chapman for a painting they could bring
assure each student completed the art not all of the brothers appreciate his art, back to their home province.
credit required by the State Education and some might be offended. I gathered
Department for graduation. Four to five support from other Brothers who, with Brother Chapman’s work attracted a few
hundred students were enrolled for each decisive input from the Brother Superior, patrons in the Chicago area, among them
of the four years of high school. emphatically let him know dissenters, Mr. Matthew Lamb of the Blake Lamb
were there any, would not be depriving Funeral homes. Having viewed some
The creativity that flowed from Art Lab the rest of us of the gift he should be of Brother’s works at the school, Mr.
101 filled the corridors of the school and sharing with the community. Lamb asked if he might purchase and or
covered the refrigerator doors of the commission some to exhibit in the funeral
families whose sons proudly brought Within a few years his works were parlors. Ken welcomed the interest and
home their many art projects. cherished features in many of the some funding for the purchase of paints,
Brothers’ residences and missions around brushes, and canvas.
Brother kept an easel in the class with an the country, and then around the global
in-process work of his own adding touches Congregation. Brother John Mark Egan
when on a break from assisting others. a renowned psychologist and Brother