Graves International Art - Frank Rakoncay

Frank Rakoncay (1936-1998) was a Chicago artist who moved to St. Augustine, Florida. He studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and was nominated as one of the best new artists at the Chicago Art Awards. While living in Chicago he had work accepted into the prestigious Chicago & Vicinity Shows at the Art Institute, as well as being represented by several Chicago galleries in one-man and group shows.

He developed his unique style of oil pastel and pencil, as a way to express the intimacy of a drawing with the color and atmosphere of oil paint. All one-of-a-kind pieces, this intuitive work evolves slowly on the page, with the drawing directing the artist as well as being created by the artist. Mostly figurative, dreamlike images, the work is meant to provide an insightful reflection of the viewer’s emotions.

Rakoncay has been exhibited in over 60 gallery and museum shows and has received over 80 awards nationwide. The work is also included in numerous prominent, permanent collections, including the American Embassy in Tokyo, Standard Oil, Kemper Insurance, Borg-Warner, Leo Burnett, the Civic Art Collection of Chicago, Burdines, The Miami Herald, and Walt Disney World.