Pre-algorist art, monastic period, 1950-1968

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Monastic Period 1950 - 1968
Saint Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, USA
The monastic period on the pre-algorithmic art works of Roman Verostko.

General view of St. Vincent Archabbey where Roman lived for 18 years. His monastic assignments took him, for periods of time, to New York, Paris and Washington. During these periods he remained committed to monastic life with this monastery as his home. Over the years a gradual change of his inner beliefs led him to withdraw from monastic life in 1968.

   Click for personal account of departure from cloister

Monastic Period, 1950-1968. During the first year after art school a growing interest in spirituality and philosophy led him to Saint Vincent Archabbey located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. On his 21st birthday, in 1950, he entered a scholastic program to prepare for monastic life. During this period he pursued a spiritual life that embraced both ascetic and aesthetic values.

Early Monastic Period Art (1950-1959). Taking the monastic name Romanus, he entered the cloister as a Novice in 1952, and continued studies in philosophy and theology. During these years of study his practice as an artist was limited but he was given opportunities for several murals. He continued to draw and painted several portraits including a life size portrait of the archabbot. Most of his drawings and paintings of this period were lost in a fire that devastated the monastery in 1963.

Monk in New York (1960-1962). A year after ordination he was sent to New York City as a resident monk at Saint Michaels rectory on West 34th Street. His mission was to pursue both studio and academic studies and return to the abbey to enrich a program in the arts. After completing an MFA degree at Pratt Institute (1961) he followed graduate courses in both medieval and modern art history dividing his time between NYU's Institute of Fine Arts and Columbia University.

France, 1962-1963. To round out his studies the Abbot sent Roman to Europe to broaden his studio work and to experience primary sites in the history of western art. In Paris he pursued further studies, maintained a modest studio and traveled to medieval monastic sites along the pilgrimage routes. More on this period.

Monastery Studio, 1963-1968. During this very productive period Roman wrestled seriously with his belief in revelation and the dogmas of the church. This spiritual struggle would eventually lead him to leave his life in the monastery. This was a difficult decision. because, on the one hand, he could no longer honestly profess traditional beliefs; while, on the other hand, he valued the monastic experience that brought him to an awareness of life as a spiritual journey. This spiritual seeking permeates his life and his work to this day.
This struggle lay at the heart of a very productive studio period including a series of castings for the new monastery and an audio visual program. More on this period.

Washington, DC, 1964-1966. With the blessing of his Abbot Roman was appointed to full Staff Editor for Art and Architecture with the New Catholic Encyclopedia (McGraw Hill, 1968). His sections for this monumental 15 volume reference work received excellent reviews (   America, March 18, 1967). While maintaining a studio and part time residence at the monastery he spent most of his time at Catholic University in Washington with the editorial staff. He maintained a small studio on campus where he worked on his New City series while continuing to experiment with the automatic drawing he pursued in France. More on this period

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Monastic Period 1950 - 1968 Saint Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, USA The monastic period on the pre-algorithmic art works of Roman Verostko. General view of St. Vincent Archabbey where Roman lived for 18 years. His monastic assignments took him, for periods of time, to New York, Paris and Washington. During these periods he remained committed to monastic life with this monastery as his home. Over the years a gradual change of his inner beliefs led him to withdraw from monastic life in 1968. Click for personal account of departure from cloister
	Monastic Period, 1950-1968. During the first year after art school a growing interest in spirituality and philosophy led him to Saint Vincent Archabbey located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. On his 21st birthday, in 1950, he entered a scholastic program to prepare for monastic life. During this period he pursued a spiritual life that embraced both ascetic and aesthetic values.
	Early Monastic Period Art (1950-1959). Taking the monastic name Romanus, he entered the cloister as a Novice in 1952, and continued studies in philosophy and theology. During these years of study his practice as an artist was limited but he was given opportunities for several murals. He continued to draw and painted several portraits including a life size portrait of the archabbot. Most of his drawings and paintings of this period were lost in a fire that devastated the monastery in 1963.
	Monk in New York (1960-1962). A year after ordination he was sent to New York City as a resident monk at Saint Michaels rectory on West 34th Street. His mission was to pursue both studio and academic studies and return to the abbey to enrich a program in the arts. After completing an MFA degree at Pratt Institute (1961) he followed graduate courses in both medieval and modern art history dividing his time between NYU's Institute of Fine Arts and Columbia University.
	France, 1962-1963. To round out his studies the Abbot sent Roman to Europe to broaden his studio work and to experience primary sites in the history of western art. In Paris he pursued further studies, maintained a modest studio and traveled to medieval monastic sites along the pilgrimage routes. More on this period.
	Monastery Studio, 1963-1968. During this very productive period Roman wrestled seriously with his belief in revelation and the dogmas of the church. This spiritual struggle would eventually lead him to leave his life in the monastery. This was a difficult decision. because, on the one hand, he could no longer honestly profess traditional beliefs; while, on the other hand, he valued the monastic experience that brought him to an awareness of life as a spiritual journey. This spiritual seeking permeates his life and his work to this day. This struggle lay at the heart of a very productive studio period including a series of castings for the new monastery and an audio visual program. More on this period.
	Washington, DC, 1964-1966. With the blessing of his Abbot Roman was appointed to full Staff Editor for Art and Architecture with the New Catholic Encyclopedia (McGraw Hill, 1968). His sections for this monumental 15 volume reference work received excellent reviews ( America, March 18, 1967). While maintaining a studio and part time residence at the monastery he spent most of his time at Catholic University in Washington with the editorial staff. He maintained a small studio on campus where he worked on his New City series while continuing to experiment with the automatic drawing he pursued in France. More on this period