ANTANAS KMIELIAUSKAS

I was born in the village of Olenderne, in the district of Alytus, 
not far from the small town of Butrimonys on 1932.

Studies at the institute lasted from 1951 to 1957. Leonas Zuklys, Jonas Mackonis, Liuda Vaineikyje and Kazys Morkunas taught drawing. Vincas Dilka, Aleksandras Silinas, Vladas Karatajus and the Rector Vytautas Mackevičius taught painting. Each of them enriched me with something new and useful.

In 1957, I gratuated from the Art Institute and joined the Section of Painters of the Association of Artists of the Lithuanian SSR.

In 1960, I was expelled for creating a granite sculpture of St Christopher, which the Lithuanian Monsignor Ceslavas Kirvatis commissioned. (Today the sculpture stands in front of St Nicholas Church in Vilnius).

In 1962 -1979, I taught drawing and sculpture at Vilnius Children‘s Art School.

In 1977, I started lecturing at the Art Institute. In the beginning I taught a course in plastic anatomy, and later I taught painting.

In 1994, I was given the title of Professor (National prize winner of Lithuania).
What I have understood during my life is that true art, irrespective of the stylistic forms of different eras (it is not the effect that is most important here) must be full of the deespest human feelings and inexpressible mistery. The period during which I had to live has taught me to feel a great responsibility for what is being done and to understand and appreciate human and artistic values that have stood the test of time.