Who is Frederick Franck?

1. He was an authentic human being.
2. He shared his work and thoughts with others.
3. He said "The meaning of life is to see."

Born on the Dutch/Belgian/German border (in the Netherlands) in 1909, Franck witnessed the beginning of World War I at the age of 5. One of his most vivid childhood memories was seeing refugees crossing Holland's border. This was the impetus for his lifelong search to discover what it means to be human.

Although raised as an agnostic, he lived in a very Catholic area of Holland, and the powerful imagery of Catholicism seemed to ask the same question about humanity. The fish, often a symbol of Christ, is one of the images Franck used in his art. He refers to it as "Cosmic Fish" and includes human faces as the scales.

Professionally trained as a dentist, he had the opportunity to work with one of his mentors, Albert Schweitzer, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and known for his philosophy of 'reverence for life'. Franck studied Zen Buddhism in England during World War II, and Zen scholar Daisetz Suzuki, became another of his mentors.

His third and possibly most influential mentor was Pope John XXIII. Franck had the opportunity to draw the Pope and all sessions of the Vatican Council in the early 60's. He saw the Pope as having that authentic, original face - free of ego.

The property at his home in Warwick, NY has been preserved as a sanctuary called Pacem in Terris, meaning "peace on earth", which combines a natural setting with Franck's sculptures and a building for musical performances and sectarian services.

Franck is known as a painter, sculptor, and author with more than 30 books published on Buddhism, drawing, and what it means to be human. His most successful was "The Zen of Seeing", published in 1972 and still in print. There is no personal website for Franck but you can read a great article about him at this Spirituality and Practice website.

Photo by Carol Rubin

In his book,' Zen Seeing, Zen Drawing', Franck describes the difference between looking and seeing.

"Looking and seeing both begin with sense perception, but there the similarity ends. When I "look" at the world and label its phenomena, I make immediate choices, instant appraisals. I like or I dislike. I accept or I reject...... The purpose of looking is to survive, to cope, to manipulate, to discern what enhances or diminishes the "me". When I see I am suddenly all eyes. I forget the ME, and am liberated from it and dive into the reality of what confronts me.... It is in order to see, ... more deeply that I draw.... I have learned that what I have not drawn I have never really seen..... I discover that among the ten thousand things there is no ordinary thing."

What do you see in the photo Fern Dance below. To me, there is a certain grace and rhythm to the way the branches flow together. They seem to be dancing!

This is an inspirational, 28 minute DVD of the artist Frederick Franck.

School LIbrary Journal writes, "This video may help remind viewers of the value of all human life." It can be purchased through the website for Bullfrog Films.

"Above all else, Franck is a bridge builder whose spirituality points to a new way of being in the twenty-first century."