Brother Mel has been a brother in the Society of Marianists, as well as a practicing artist all of his adult life.  He completed a B.A. degree at the University of Dayton in 1947, followed by a master’s degree from Notre Dame in 1960.  In between the two degrees, he traveled in Europe extensively, touring churches and museums via a moped.  Since then, he has sustained an ever-expanding ability to create artwork in a variety of media and various commissions from churches, chapels, and synagogues — where he has designed and outfitted the furniture and artwork for places such as the Barnes Jewish Hospital and the Children’s Hospital in St. Louis — to corporate headquarters such as the Adam’s Mark hotels and Monsanto International.  He has recently installed large outdoor sculptures in parks and other public places throughout the St. Louis area, including an ongoing exhibit of sculpture at the St. Louis Airport. 

"Bringing beauty to space to lift up spirits." – Brother Mel