Americo Makk
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Americo Makk (1927–May 5, 2015) was a painter and portrait artist originally from
Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the ...
, who immigrated to the United States with his family in 1962 to escape the communist movement in Brazil. His notable paintings include historical and ecclesiastical portraits and murals, including portraits of two United States Presidents,
Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1 ...
and Ronald Reagan, as well as notable figures
Edward Teller Edward Teller ( hu, Teller Ede; January 15, 1908 – September 9, 2003) was a Hungarian-American theoretical physicist who is known colloquially as "the father of the hydrogen bomb" (see the Teller–Ulam design), although he did not care for ...
,
Eva Gabor Eva Gabor ( ; February 11, 1919 – July 4, 1995) was a Hungarian-American actress, businesswoman, singer, and socialite. She voiced Duchess and Miss Bianca in the animated Disney Classics, '' The Aristocats'' (1970), '' The Rescuers'' (1977), ...
,
Barbara Sinatra Barbara Ann Blakeley Oliver Marx Sinatra (March 10, 1927 – July 25, 2017) was an American model, showgirl, socialite and the fourth wife of Frank Sinatra. Early life Barbara Ann Blakeley was born on March 10, 1927 in Bosworth, Missou ...
, Ray Price, and
Barbara Carrera Barbara Carrera (born Barbara Kingsbury) is an American actress, model and artist. She starred in the films '' The Master Gunfighter'' (1975), '' Embryo'' (1976), '' The Island of Dr. Moreau'' (1977), ''Condorman'' (1981), ''I, the Jury'' (1982) ...
.


Early life and training

Americo Makk, last name pronounced "Mahk", was born Imre Makk in 1927 in a town in western
Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the ...
once known as Győrszentmárton, and later renamed
Pannonhalma Pannonhalma (german: Martinsberg; sk, Rábsky Svätý Martin) is a town in Győr-Moson-Sopron County, western Hungary, with approximately 4,000 inhabitants. It is about from Győr. Archduke Otto Habsburg's heart is kept at the Pannonhalma Archa ...
.Henderson, Shelby (1986). "Makk Family: A Vision of Life", Makk Studios, Honolulu, HI. His home stood in the shadow of the
Pannonhalma Archabbey The Benedictine Pannonhalma Archabbey or Territorial Abbey of Pannonhalma (lat. ''Archiabbatia'' or ''Abbatia Territorialis Sancti Martini in Monte Pannoniae'') is a medieval building in Pannonhalma, one of the oldest historical monuments in Hun ...
. Americo's father was financial supervisor to the
Benedictine monks , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...
who resided in the
Abbey An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns. The con ...
and taught in the local school. Americo began sketching at age 6 and by the time he was 8, the Benedictine Brothers encouraged him further into art.Mary Burke Rossi, "The Road Leads to Freedom", Second in a Series, Herald Courier, Hyde Park, NY, Friday, April 28, 1967. Americo was 12 when the communist Russian army first invaded Hungary. At this time, his passion for painting became inexorable. His parents cautioned Americo that pursuing art as a vocation would lead to poverty, and that a career in architectural engineering was more suitable. Americo's formal training as a painter began at the Hungarian National Academy of Fine Arts in
Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
from 1945 through 1948. At the age of 21, he received a scholarship to Italy, and studied at the Academy of Fine Art in Rome beginning in 1948. As Hungary was effectively under the control of communism becoming a
satellite state A satellite state or dependent state is a country that is formally independent in the world, but under heavy political, economic, and military influence or control from another country. The term was coined by analogy to planetary objects orbitin ...
of the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
and administered by the
Hungarian People's Republic The Hungarian People's Republic ( hu, Magyar Népköztársaság) was a one-party socialist state from 20 August 1949 to 23 October 1989. It was governed by the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party, which was under the influence of the Soviet U ...
, he had doubted the authorities would allow him to accept the scholarship in Rome. Americo was reserved in conveying his memories of the communist takeover in interviews for fear of reprisals against family members still in Hungary, simply describing the period as "very unpleasant." However, where his words could not describe, his painting of the Russian takeover was reported as depicting "all the grief and agony that the people of Hungary have suffered..."Mertens, Susan, "Adapt and flourish", The Vancouver Sun, B.C., Friday, December 5, 1980. Once in Rome, Americo focused his studies on ecclesiastical art and the works of Renaissance masters, such as
Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual a ...
, Michelangelo, and
Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially res ...
. While studying at the Academy, Americo met the 16-year-old Eva Holusa, a fellow student also of Hungarian descent, whom he later married and worked alongside for the remainder of his life. He went on to instruct at the Rome Academy of Fine Art. It was then that he won the Vatican Portrait Award with a portrait of Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty, a figure personifying opposition to communism in Hungary in support of religious freedom, which was installed in the Vatican for permanent display.Ledoux, Larry (1982). "Makk, Americo, Eva, A.B.", Herff Jones Publishers, Logan Utah.


Career


Brazil and life as the Makks (1949–1962)

One of Four in a Series, Mural of Brazilian Chief Ajuricaba, by Americo Makk In 1949, Americo Makk followed Eva Holusa and moved to
São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
,
Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
. Eva's father, Dr. Bertalan Holusa, a former economic and agricultural adviser to Ethiopia's
Haile Selassie Haile Selassie I ( gez, ቀዳማዊ ኀይለ ሥላሴ, Qädamawi Häylä Səllasé, ; born Tafari Makonnen; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as Regent Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia (' ...
, had fled from Africa with his family, to France in 1937 as a result of the
Second Italo-Ethiopian War The Second Italo-Ethiopian War, also referred to as the Second Italo-Abyssinian War, was a war of aggression which was fought between Italy and Ethiopia from October 1935 to February 1937. In Ethiopia it is often referred to simply as the Itali ...
and then to São Paulo with its rapid industrialization. The official language in Brazil was Portuguese. "Imre" in Portuguese is "Americo" and it was here where Americo adopted the Portuguese translation for his name. Americo and Eva married in São Paulo on October 18, 1950. In 1951, they were appointed Professors of Fine Arts at the Academia de Belas Artes. That same year, their son, Americo Bartholomew,
A.B. Makk Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate education, undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally complet ...
, a respected artist in his own right, was born. While in Brazil, Americo and
Eva Makk Eva or EVA may refer to: * Eva (name), a feminine given name Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters * Eva (Dynamite Entertainment), a comic book character by Dynamite Entertainment * Eva (''Devil May Cry''), Dante's mother in ...
jointly painted fourteen
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
cathedrals, churches and basilicas.Love, Frances, Art Center Director, "Makk Family to Discuss International Art", The Daily Advertiser, Lafayette, LA, Friday, February 13, 1981. Their most famous cathedral painting, "Coronation of Our Lady", was a 2,349 square foot (218 square meters) al-secco ceiling in the Cathedral of Manaus, the largest single motif painting in the world, which depicts the coronation of the Virgin Mary in her crowning as the
Queen of Heaven Queen of Heaven ( la, Regina Caeli) is a title given to the Virgin Mary, by Christians mainly of the Catholic Church and, to a lesser extent, in Anglicanism, Lutheranism, and Eastern Orthodoxy. The Catholic teaching on this subject is express ...
. The mural reportedly took two years to complete, working 60 to 100 feet in the air on wood scaffolding in "stifling heat and little light."Tsutsumi, Cheryl Chee, "The Makk Family", Aloha, The Magazine of Hawaii, 1982. Americo Makk reported rats getting into the paints, and he suffered a fall from the scaffolding while painting. During the period from 1958 through 1962, the Makks were appointed the Official Artists of the, then democratic, Brazilian government painting government officials and murals, as well as church officials in Brazil, including Sobral Bishop Dom José Tupinambá da Frota. At this time, Americo and Eva merged their independent styles by working side-by-side on the expansive cathedral murals that appeared to be painted by one hand. From then on, Americo and Eva became synonymous with each other's work and the Makk family brand, "Casal Makk" (Portuguese for "Makk couple"), was created. The remaining cathedral wall and ceiling paintings by the Makks are tourist attractions in Brazil to this day, which are signed Casal Makk, such as those found in the Parish of Our Lady of Patronage (Nossa Senhora do Patrocinio) in Jau, State of São Paulo, Brazil. left, Americo Makk, Amazonas, 1959


Amazon expedition (1957–1959)

In 1957, their cathedral work culminated with a request via telegram from the Governor of Amazonas,
Plinio Coelho Plinio may refer to: *Pliny, in Italian ** Pliny the Elder (c. 23 – 79) ** Pliny the Younger (61 – c. 113) *Ulmus 'Plinio', an elm cultivar named after Pliny * Plínio (footballer, born 1946), José Plínio de Godoy, Brazilian football midfield ...
, for an assignment to travel the
Amazon jungle The Amazon rainforest, Amazon jungle or ; es, Selva amazónica, , or usually ; french: Forêt amazonienne; nl, Amazoneregenwoud. In English, the names are sometimes capitalized further, as Amazon Rainforest, Amazon Forest, or Amazon Jungle. ...
, also known as the Amazon rainforest or Amazonia, to study the remaining indigenous Indian tribes, which were thinning by a boom of industrial growth and deforestation.Rossi, Mary Burke, Women's Editor, "The Makk Story, Mural Tourist Attraction", Fourth in a Series, Herald Courier, New Hyde Park, NY, Friday, May 12, 1967. Both Governor Coehlo, and the Mayor of Manaus, Gilberto Mestrinho, later to succeed Coelho as Governor, co-sponsored the expedition, which was planned to last approximately one to two years. Paintings were the medium of choice for the project, as it was known that some tribes hidden in the darkness of the jungle became anxious or reacted violently to camera flashes or flashbulbs. For the year preceding the trip, Americo and Eva Makk explored areas of the rainforest to get acquainted with the subject matter. In 1958, the Makks, including 8 year-old A.B. with pet ocelot "Cica" (Hungarian for "cat"), accompanied by guides and a Catholic missionary priest, embarked on their expedition to study the flora, fauna and inhabitants of the Amazon rainforest. The expedition began in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas, and the heart of the
Amazon jungle The Amazon rainforest, Amazon jungle or ; es, Selva amazónica, , or usually ; french: Forêt amazonienne; nl, Amazoneregenwoud. In English, the names are sometimes capitalized further, as Amazon Rainforest, Amazon Forest, or Amazon Jungle. ...
. The trip spanned over 1,000 miles of travel by foot, river boat, canoe, small plane and helicopter; there were no roads.Mary Burke Rossi, "Mural Tourist Attraction", The Makk Story, Fourth in a Series, Herald Courier, Hyde Park, NY, Friday, May 12, 1967. They planned to meet guides at designated checkpoints, who were considered friendly Indians of various tribes. Travel was difficult due to frequent rains that turned to floods washing away landmarks. With high humidity and rain, the Makks described suffering frequent bites from small black insects, called "piums". Some tribes they met along the way believed that to have their image painted would result in their souls being stolen, thus simple sketches were made in those regions.Whitaker, Bill, Entertainments Editor, "Bogeyman were real growing up in Brazil", Abilene Reporter News, TX, Thursday, November 13, 1980. Through the expedition, the Makks gathered and recorded images of varying
indigenous people of Brazil Indigenous peoples in Brazil ( pt, povos indígenas no Brasil) or Indigenous Brazilians ( pt, indígenas brasileiros, links=no) once comprised an estimated 2000 tribes and nations inhabiting what is now the country of Brazil, before European con ...
, which included the Macus, Bare, Tucano and
Boca Negra ''Boca Negra'' is an album by the Chicago Underground Duo, featuring multi-instrumentalists Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor. It was recorded during May 2009 at El Rocha Studios in São Paulo, Brazil, and was released in 2010 by the Thrill Jockey lab ...
(Tenharim).Rossi, Mary Burke, Women's Editor, "Mission to the Amazin' Amazon", Fifth in a series, Herald Courier, Hyde Park, NY, Friday, May 19, 1967. They often sketched subjects through the trip, painting them later. The Makks' memories of the trip were preserved in an estimated 70 paintings. In a 1982 interview for ''Aloha Magazine'', Eva Makk described the Amazon jungle, "Sometimes it was so dark and dense, we had to use flashlights at high noon in order to see... I think of it as a forbidden cathedral of God." Upon their return, the Makks painted four large murals in the Palace of the Governor in Manaus, Palacio Rio Negro. One of the four paintings was of Brazilian Chief
Ajuricaba Ajuricaba is a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over ...
leading his warriors with bow and arrow into battle against invading
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
forces armed with forged weaponry and armor during the expansion of Portuguese colonization of the Americas. Paintings marked "Amazonas" denoted the origin and time frame of the painting rather than a title. A small portion of their Amazon paintings was exhibited at the Brazilian consulate in Miami, Florida, in May 1969. In an interview from 1981, when asked whether he would have attempted the trip a second time, Americo responded, "It would be too dangerous to try now. It was too dangerous then. But we (he and Eva) had an artistic feeling and desire to meet challenges, to know and to paint what no one had ever painted before. So, we accepted the invitation of the government. We were both ‘official artists of Brazil.’ But when it was over, we decided we would never do anything like that again. Because you only have one life."Kerns, William, "Acclaimed Artists Exhibit Works", Lubbock Avalanche Journal, Lubbock, TX, May 13, 1981


Move to New York City (1962–1967)

By 1960, the communist movement-controlled television, radio and the press in São Paulo. Foodstuffs and gasoline were luxuries. As a result of the increasing political unrest in Brazil, the Makks worked on immigrating to the United States to once again escape communism, which took two years to accomplish. As they continued work on church paintings, the Makks often thought whether the communists would soon destroy them.Rossi, Mary Burke, Women's Editor, "America- Paradise for the Makks", The World of Art Part VIII, The Herald Courier, Hyde Park, NY, Friday June 9, 1967. In 1962, the Makks secured a sponsorship from the Ecclesiastical Art Studio of New York in New York City and moved to Long Island, New York. They left behind most of their belongings in Brazil to allow room for the Amazon paintings and sketches, taking with them four suitcases and a small amount of cash. On May 10, 1962, knowing very little English, the Makks arrived at
Idlewild Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport (colloquially referred to as JFK Airport, Kennedy Airport, New York-JFK, or simply JFK) is the main international airport serving New York City. The airport is the busiest of the seven airports in the Ne ...
, in Queens, NY. Both Americo and Eva began exhibiting their work in New York in 1963. Returning to their ancestral roots with a Hungarian colony in New York, they began preserving Hungarian history and culture in their work. They also continued painting under contract for the Ecclesiastical Art Studio of New York to restore and decorate church ceilings and mural painting. In 1963, the Makks painted the Immaculate Conception Church located near West Point, The United States Military Academy. In 1964, they were commissioned to paint a 26 foot by 12 foot canvas mural called "The Ascension of Christ" for the Memorial United Church of Christ in Dayton, Ohio. In 1964 and 1965, Americo and Eva Makk exhibited their work at the
World's Fair A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large international exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specif ...
at the Paris Pavilion in New York.Harlocker, Nancy, Nancy Harlocker's Date Book, "Island art with the old master's touch", The Honolulu Advertiser, Wednesday, September 3, 1969 A major portion of their collection at the 1964 World's Fair consisted of the Makks' Amazonas paintings. In 1966, The Makks filmed a television show on
NBC-TV The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
featuring their paintings at the
Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...
in Washington, D.C., which aired on December 4, 1966.Rossi, Mary Burke, Women's Editor, "A 'Love Affair' With Art", Page 3, The Herald Courier, Vol. 31, No.21, Hyde Park, NY, Friday, November 25, 1966. In 1966 and 1967, the Makks' paintings were exhibited at the International Art Show at the Carnegie Endowment International Center in New York City.New York Times, "What's New in Art", Arts & Leisure Section, Sunday, May 7, 1967. In 1967, the Makks made an appearance on the
Johnny Gilbert John Lewis Gilbert III (born July 13, 1928) is an American show business personality who has worked mainly on television game shows. Originally a nightclub singer and entertainer, he has hosted and announced a number of game shows from various ...
Show in Dayton, Ohio, executing a painting on camera.Rossi, Mark Burke, Women's Editor, "The Unusual Story of Eva & Americo Makk", Herald Courier, Hyde, Park, NY, Friday, April 21, 1967. On April 17, 1967, Americo Makk, sponsored by
Prince Rainier III Rainier III (Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi; 31 May 1923 – 6 April 2005) was Prince of Monaco from 1949 to his death in 2005. Rainier ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost 56 years, making him one of the longest-ruling m ...
, was awarded top "Director's Prize" by the International Art Exchange, New York-Paris-Monaco Exhibition, for his oil painting titled "Blue Morning." The painting was subsequently shown at Salle d' Exposition Wilson in Paris. The Makks were elected in 1969 to the "Fifty American Artists Association" of representational artists.


Relocation to Hawaii (1967–2015)

In 1967, before going to Paris for the Salle d' Exposition in Paris, the Makks visited
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
and made the decision to relocate to the island of
Oahu Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O ...
that same year. The reason for the change was in part due to Americo's health concerns, which included arthritis affecting his hands. The Makk family resides in Hawaii as of 2017. Detail of horse's breath from "Windy Crossing"


The Presidents and beyond

In 1967, Americo, as well as Eva, expanded their repertoire of paintings dedicated to the culture, heritage and history of the American old west, which included the American Indians when the Los Angeles Museum sent him to sketch ranches in California, a subject also pursued in Texas. In 1978, Americo Makk was commissioned to paint a portrait of
Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1 ...
to be presented by Governor
George Ariyoshi George Ryoichi Ariyoshi ( ja, 有吉 良一, born March 12, 1926) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the third governor of Hawaii from 1974 to 1986. A Democrat, he is Hawaii's longest-serving governor and the first American of ...
to the president as a “gift of state” from the people of Hawaii. The portrait hung in Senator Daniel Inouye's office for several months before the presentation to the President. In 1979, Ariyoshi presented the painting to President Carter at the Governor's Conference in Washington, D.C. In 1984 the painting was described by an anonymous writer in the Hawaiian periodical ''Artists in Paradise'': "Light comes from the flag, draped above and behind Carter, the source of his power and inspiration. The focus of this light is the right side of Carter's face, drawing attention to his scholar's brow and clear directness of his eyes. However, the left side of Carter's face is in relative darkness, reminding us that the President is but a man, and foretelling the judgment of historians that the issues which faced Carter's administration were not clearly resolved.""Editorial Notebook", Artists in Paradise, From the Islands of the Pacific, HI, Spring 1984. In 1982, the hard boundbook ''Makk'', edited with commentary by Larry LeDoux, was published by Herff Jones Publishers in Logan, Utah documenting the art and history of the Makk family in 96 pages. In 1982, Americo Makk was commissioned to paint a portrait of President Ronald Reagan, while Eva Makk was commissioned to paint Nancy Reagan.Fessier, Bruce, "Painting for Posterity", The Desert Sun, Palm Springs, CA, Saturday, March 19, 1983. Americo created two original portrait studies of the President that were previewed at the Nelson Rockefeller Collection in Palm Springs that were the forerunners to the final painting. On March 5, 1983, the Rockefeller Gallery held a reception presenting the early paintings of the President by Americo Makk as part of its west coast premiere in Palm Springs. Americo Makk expressed his concerns with painting the portrait in an interview for ''The Desert Sun'', that if a president did not appreciate his portrait then the artist faced public scrutiny, referencing President
Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
's portrait painted by respected landscape artist Peter Hurd. Americo, with Eva and A.B., personally presented the 60 inch by 40 inch painting to President Reagan in the oval office of the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...
on March 29, 1984, with the American Hungarian Federation.DECOR, ''The Magazine of Fine and Decorative Arts'', "Reagan Receives Portraits", June 1984. Two additional portraits were also presented to the first family. Americo painted President Reagan with the
Space Shuttle The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program ...
in the background. Eva Makk painted a portrait of the President and Nancy Reagan together, which was 60 inch by 40 inch. An article in the Hawaiian periodical ''Artists in Paradise'' said of President Reagan's portrait that its "imagery, execution and technique reflect the spirit of our modern times with their sudden changes in political alignments, their looming national conflicts, their rapid advances in technology, and the need for decisive leadership and prompt action if we are to survive as a nation... Makk's portrait dramatizes the soul and significance of a strong American President." In 1984, Americo was commissioned to paint Dr. Edward Teller. The painting was presented to Dr. Teller and displayed in the
United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...
Rotunda in May 1984 along with other retrospective works by the Makks. Paintings displayed in the Rotunda were stamped on the reverse "Washington, D.C., United States Capitol, United States Senate" commemorating the exhibit. left, Presentation of Portrait to President Reagan, 1984 left, Americo and Eva Makk with Portrait of President Reagan with Shuttle, 1984 In 1985, Americo painted a portrait of country singer Ray Price, who used the portrait as his album cover for “Portrait of a Singer” in 1985. The painting was featured again in a later album of Price in 1991. "Ray Price" portrait by Americo Makk In 1985, Americo, Eva and A.B. painted the first in a series of large collaborative paintings, at 5 feet by 8 feet, combining the styles of all three painters, called "Trilogy", a view of
Central Park Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban park in the United States, with an estimated ...
.Henderson, Shelby, "The Makk Family: Three Heads. Three Hands, One Heart", Lively Arts & Fine Art, The Entertainment & Cultural Magazine, June/July/August 1988. The next collaborative work "Spirit of Paris" was unveiled at a private reception at Lawrence Ross Galleries in Beverly Hills in January 1986. Americo painted the right most one-third of the painting, while Eva painted the center third and A.B. painted the left most one-third of the painting. Each artist signed below the area of their work. In 1986, the book ''Makk Family, A Vision of Life'', was published by Makk Studios in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was also produced in a limited edition with wood box set and special prints of the family's paintings. left, Americo Makk creating serigraph of "Matching Strength" Americo Makk with John Astin and Eva Gabor at ArtExpo, CA 1988 In 1987, the Makks entered into an agreement with Artcorp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Panz Corporation Ltd., a New Zealand conglomerate, for publication and distribution of the family's serigraphs. In Summer 1988, the Makks opened their
serigraphy Screen printing is a printing technique where a mesh is used to transfer ink (or dye) onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. A blade or squeegee is moved across the screen to fill the open me ...
studio Vision Fine Art Press where they produced the limited edition artwork.Walston, Timothy, "The First Family of the Art World", Lively Arts & Fine Art, Winter 1988. The first serigraphs produced by the studio were Eva Makk's "Snowflakes" and Americo Makk's "Matching Strength." The serigraphs of selected paintings were numbered and signed and were typically given runs of 100 to 275 editions. The Makks were presented with awards from Screen Printing Association International (SPAI) in 1991 for "On Wings" by Eva Makk, 1992 for "High Camp" by Americo Makk, 1993 "Quartet" by Eva Makk, and 1994 "Rolling Clouds" and ""Silver with Gold" both by Americo Makk. Vision Fine Art Press also represented notable artist Cliff Tanaka, winning an award for his serigraphy as well. Due to the high costs of production, serigraphy ended at the studio and reproductions went to giclee format. left, Americo Makk demonstrates technique for CBS at ArtExpo, 1989 Throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, the Makks displayed exhibits of their work at the ArtExpos in New York City and Los Angeles. The Makks' paintings, which included the collaborative painting ''Fisherman's Warf'' as the backdrop, were featured at the ArtExpo-New York. left, Presentation of Portrait to Eva Gabor with Merv Griffin left and Americo Makk right On October 19, 1989, Makk Studios opened its Beverly Hills, CA gallery with Casey Kasem hosting the gala. On October 26, 1989, the gallery held a reception and unveiled a portrait of
Eva Gabor Eva Gabor ( ; February 11, 1919 – July 4, 1995) was a Hungarian-American actress, businesswoman, singer, and socialite. She voiced Duchess and Miss Bianca in the animated Disney Classics, '' The Aristocats'' (1970), '' The Rescuers'' (1977), ...
commissioned with Americo. Public relations and marketing for the Beverly Hills Gallery was handled through Kukirin Company, which focused on the timeliness of Americo Makk's history in escaping communist oppression in its marketing campaign in the 1980s. Among the artists exhibited at Makk Galleries were actress
Barbara Carrera Barbara Carrera (born Barbara Kingsbury) is an American actress, model and artist. She starred in the films '' The Master Gunfighter'' (1975), '' Embryo'' (1976), '' The Island of Dr. Moreau'' (1977), ''Condorman'' (1981), ''I, the Jury'' (1982) ...
and actor
Buddy Ebsen Buddy Ebsen (born Christian Ludolf Ebsen Jr., April 2, 1908 – July 6, 2003), also known as Frank "Buddy" Ebsen, was an American actor and dancer, whose career spanned seven decades. One of his most famous roles was as Jed Clampett in the CBS ...
. Interviewed in 1989, Ebsen stated, "My introduction to the Makk Family is one of the most important events of my life. The fact that these superbly talented artists- Americo, Eva and A.B.- so long and firmly established at the highest levels in the world of art, have found merit in my paintings, is my proudest creative achievement. I hope to justify their faith in my work." From 1967 through the present, the Makks have shown their work across the United States at galleries and museums, and internationally in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazilia, Caracas, Madrid, Munich, Monte Carlo, Paris, Lisbon, Vancouver, Vienna, Geneva, Sidney and Montreal. Paintings by Americo Makk have been exhibited at Carnegie International Center (NY), U.S. Senate Rotunda (Washington, D.C.), Monaco Intercontinental Exhibition (Paris), St. Stephen Museum (Hungary). Over six decades, Americo Makk's work, as well as that of Eva and A.B., has been recognized with awards and honors including American Ecclesiastic Award, European Banner of the Arts, Oscar d’Italia, Einstein International Academy Foundation Medal for Peace and Outstanding Achievement Award for Western Paintings (American Biographical Institute). There is a permanent exhibition of Americo Makk's paintings at the Museum of Hungarian Military History in Budapest.


Preservation of Hungarian history

left, "St. Stephen:The King of Christian Hungary" by Americo Makk Over the course of their careers, Americo and Eva Makk donated their talent to preserving and promoting the cultural heritage and history of
Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the ...
. In 1966, Americo Makk, then vice president of the American Hungarian Art Association and World Federation of Hungarian Artists, created the painting "For Self-Determination" commemorating the 10th anniversary of the
1956 Hungarian Revolution The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 (23 October – 10 November 1956; hu, 1956-os forradalom), also known as the Hungarian Uprising, was a countrywide revolution against the government of the Hungarian People's Republic (1949–1989) and the Hung ...
exhibited at the Carnegie International Center, United Nations Plaza and Smithsonian. The Makks later embarked on a larger long term project producing two large paintings (72 inches X 96 inches) for each century of Hungary's nationhood, which began in the year 895 A.D. The first four in the series painted are " Arpad: The Birth of Hungary", " St. Stephen: The King of Christian Hungary", " King Matthias: The Splendor of Hungarian Renaissance, 1458-1490" and "The Liberation of Buda: Fall of the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
in Europe". The paintings were exhibited as a focal point of a presentation by the National Press Club commemorating the anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution against communism in 1956 as well as exhibited in the Senate Rotunda in 1986.The Uptown Citizen, "Works on Hungarian Revolution", Washington, D.C., December 18, 1986.Artscapes, "Presidential Artists Exhibit in Bethesda", Washington, D.C., Winter 1987Kaufman, Michael T.,(N.Y. Times Service), "Thirtieth Anniversary of Hungarian Revolt", Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Friday, October 24, 1986. At the request of Mississippi Senator
John Stennis John Cornelius Stennis (August 3, 1901April 23, 1995) was an American politician who served as a U.S. Senator from the state of Mississippi. He was a Democrat who served in the Senate for over 41 years, becoming its most senior member for hi ...
, the Makks were presented with the United States flag from the Capitol in recognition of the 30th anniversary of " the 1956 Freedom Flight" and for their Hungarian Exhibition displayed in the Rotunda in 1986. In May 2010, the Makks presented their thirteenth historical mural to the Museum of Hungarian Military History in Budapest, Hungary where their murals are on permanent display.


Philanthropy

Americo Makk, with Eva and A.B., engaged in a variety of philanthropic efforts benefiting many charities cultural endeavors throughout their careers. In New York, the Makks supported the Cerebral Palsy Association in New York through a show at the Carnegie Endowment's International Center Building in Manhattan in 1966 and 1967.Newsday, "Art for Charity", Vol 27, No 56, Long Island, New York, November 8, 1966. The Makks helped support the American Heart Association coordinating "Art for Art's Sake" auction at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel beginning in 1971 onward. They helped support "Housing Now" for the homeless, teaming up with Beverly Hills Businesses. Portions of proceeds to shows have been donated to local hospitals, such as the Pediatric Department of Charleston Memorial Hospital. In 1984, the painting "Carefree" along with a portrait of
Barbara Sinatra Barbara Ann Blakeley Oliver Marx Sinatra (March 10, 1927 – July 25, 2017) was an American model, showgirl, socialite and the fourth wife of Frank Sinatra. Early life Barbara Ann Blakeley was born on March 10, 1927 in Bosworth, Missou ...
was auctioned at Barbara Sinatra's art auction to benefit sexually abused children in Palms Springs, CA. Additional major charities the Makks contribute to include the American Cancer Society,
UNICEF UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to ...
, Hope Ball for the Cancer League in Denver and Heart Ball in Hawaii.


Personal information

Exemplified throughout a life dedicated to art, Americo Makk maintained his fellowship with the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. In the 1970s, Americo Makk changed his signature style from the printed "A. Makk" to the script version of his full name "Americo Makk". From the 70s onward, paintings were also regularly signed on the reverse side with the painting title, if titled, and ink stamped with the Makk Family crest and rights reserved. Notably, in older news articles Americo's name may be erroneously printed "Amerigo", which, even though error, is Italian for "Imre". While the bulk of his work was in oil, Americo Makk also worked in other media, such as watercolor. Cicely Barth Firestein characterized Makk's work as idealized portraiture in a "Rembrandt style." His work was described by the ''Valley Morning Star'' as a "renaissance style" utilizing "Dark colors and dramatic lighting combined to heighten the power and motion of his stampeding horses." Collectively, the family's approach has been coined "The Makk style" recognized and taught in art schools as a unique and ennobling technique characterizing the painting from that era. Their painting style has also been described, as "modern impressionist, romantic in mood, often nostalgic in sentiment". Americo and Eva Makk had one child, Americo Bartholomew, "A.B.", Makk, born in 1951. In 1988,
A.B. Makk Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate education, undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally complet ...
married Sylvia Magyarody, thereafter
Sylvia Makk Sylvia may refer to: People *Sylvia (given name) *Sylvia (singer), American country music and country pop singer and songwriter *Sylvia Robinson, American singer, record producer, and record label executive *Sylvia Vrethammar, Swedish singer credi ...
, an abstract artist, also of Hungarian descent. Sylvia Makk became manager of Makk Studios as well. A.B. and Sylvia Makk had one child, Alexandra Makk. On May 5, 2015, at the age of 87, Americo Makk died from heart failure. His ashes were ceremonially scattered at sea in the Pacific Ocean off the island of Oahu. Americo painted up to the days before his death. His final painting was a collaborative painting with Eva, A.B. and Sylvia Makk. A.B. Makk interviewed in front of "Spirit of Paris" Collaborative Painting, 1985 left, Eva Makk standing with "Trilogy" collaborative painting, 1986 Makks giving demonstration of collaborative painting "Fisherman's Warf" for CNN at ArtExpo, 1988 Makk Studios Display at ArtExpo-NY, 1989 Eva Makk showing Tony Curtis serigraph at Makk Studios


Significant collaborative work

*''Trilogy'' (1985), 5'X7' by Eva, Americo, A.B. *''Spirit of Paris'' (1986), 5'X8' by Eva, Americo, A.B. *''American Epic'' (1987), 5'X7' by Eva, Americo, A.B. *''California Gold'' (1987), 5'X7' by Eva, Americo, A.B. *''Celebrity Sports Composition'' (1987), 4'X6', by Eva, Americo, A.B. *''Fisherman's Warf'' (1988), 5'X7' by Eva Americo, A.B. *"Living Colors" (1999), 7'X5' Eva and Americo *"Courage" (2013) 60"X40", Eva and Americo


Museum collections, public displays and media

* Coutts Museum of Art, Eldorado, KS, (The largest public Makk painting collection in the United States) (http://couttsmuseum.org/) * The Museum of Hungarian Military History in Budapest, Hungary. (Historical Portraits) * Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, CA (Portraits of Ronald and Nancy Reagan) (https://www.reaganfoundation.org/library-museum/) * Vatican Museum, Rome, Italy. (Portrait of Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty) * Palacio Rio Negro, Palace of the Governor in Manaus, Brazil. Four Mural Paintings including Chief
Ajuricaba Ajuricaba is a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over ...
. * World's Fair, 1964 Paris Pavilion in New York. * World's Fair, 1965, Paris Pavilion in New York. * Americo and Eva Makk with Paintings Displayed on NBC-TV, Broadcast date December 4, 1966 (Commemorating network going to full color programming). * Johnny Gilbert Show, WLWD TV, Dayton, OH, 1967 (Americo and Eva Makk executing painting on camera). * United States Senate Rotunda Solo Exhibition, Washington, D.C., May 14–18, 1984, (Retrospective of Work) * United States Senate Rotunda Exhibition, Washington, D.C.,1986, (Works Commemorating 30th Anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution) * Hawaii Five-0, Season 8, Episode 12, "Ka Ho Pu Nui' Ana", CBS Corporation, broadcast date January 5, 2018 (four paintings filmed). * Hawaii Five-0, Season 8, Episode 24, "Ka Lala Kaukonakona Haki'Ole", CBS Corporation, broadcast date May 11, 2018 (two paintings filmed). * Hawaii Five-0, Season 9, Episode 3, "Mimiki Ke Kai Papa Leho", CBS Corporation, broadcast date October 12, 2018 (two paintings filmed). * Hawaii Five-0, Season 9, Episode 19, "Pupuhi Ka He's O Kai Uli", CBS Corporation, broadcast date March 15, 2019 (two paintings filmed). * Hawaii Five-0, Season 10, Episode 9, "Ka la'au kumu 'ole o Kahilikolo", CBS Corporation, broadcast date November 22, 2019 (four paintings filmed). * Hawaii Five-0, Season 10, Episode 13, "Loa'a pono ka 'iole i ka punana", CBS Corporation, broadcast date January 10, 2020 (four paintings filmed). * Hawaii Five-0, Season 10, Episode 20, "He Puhe'e Miki", CBS Corporation, broadcast date March 13, 2020 (one painting filmed).


Ecclesiastical work, 1955 to 2001

* Queen of Peace Church, Aurora, Colorado, USA: Murals * Memorial United Church of Christ, Dayton, Ohio, USA: Mural * Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, Cornwall, New York, USA: Murals and ceiling * Cathedral Metropolitana de Manaus, Brazil: Murals and the world’s largest single theme ceiling * Igreja Sagrada Familia, Sao Paulo, Brazil: Tinted Glass * Igreja Santa Barbara, Sao Paulo, Brazil: Murals and ceilings * Igreja San Jose, Victoria, Espirito Santo, Brazil: Mural * Basilica de San Francisco, Sobral, Ceara, Brazil: Murals and ceiling * Igreja Nossa Senhora da Conceicao, Areia, Paraiba, Brazil: Murals and ceiling* Igreja Nossa Senhora dos Remedios, Sousa, Paraiba, Brazil: Murals and ceiling * Igreja da Santissima Virgem, Itaporanga, Paraiba, Brazil: Murals and ceiling * Igreja Nossa Senhora do Carmo, Araraquara, Sao Paulo, Brazil: “Via Sacra” (Stations of the Cross) * Igreja San Sebastiano, Taquaritinga, Sao Paulo, Brazil: Murals* Palacio do Bispo, San Carlos, Sao Paulo, Brazil: Murals and ceiling * Basilica Nossa Senhora do Rosario, Ponta Grossa, Parana, Brazil: Murals and cupola* Igreja da Coroacao, Jau, Sao Paulo, Brazil: Murals


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Makk, Americo Hungarian emigrants to the United States 1927 births 2015 deaths Hungarian painters Hungarian Roman Catholics Brazilian Roman Catholics American Roman Catholics