Brother Carl (Aloysius) Urban Tiedt, C.S.C (1927-2013)

Grackles

acrylic on canvas

date unknown

Brother Carl, who taught science and then art for decades, spent the end of his life at the Brother Vincent Pieau Residence on Saint Edward Drive. In fact, “Grackles" depicts the view of the St. Francis courtyard garden from the Brothers’ living room in St. Joseph Hall at St. Edward’s University. Wherever he lived, he tried to incorporate local themes into his art. During the past several years, he completed several Austin, Texas themed paintings.

Brother Carl's need to create could not be stopped. Throughout his career as an artist, Brother Carl experimented in different media and styles, but particularly enjoyed working with polyester resin in sculpture. When he developed allergies to this material, he forged ahead with Styrofoam and cardboard. When Brother Carl became troubled by macular degeneration (which he referred to as his “mackerel degeneration”), he continued to create even though the disease changed what he saw and thus changed his art.