Bevier artist expresses wonder, gratitude in abstract artwork
Antonio Prokup has found a way to go where words cannot take him.
Unable to speak since birth, Mr. Prokup, 30, a member of the Mission of Sacred Heart in Bevier, took up abstract painting in order to glorify God, share his faith and illuminate the world around him.
“God has always been present in my life, and because of God, I am able to communicate my thoughts and feelings through my art,” said Mr. Prokup.
His offerings also provide insight into a life that is seasoned with but not defined by autism.
He named the business through which he sells his work Slightly Blurred Art, echoing a book of his writings published in 2015, Slightly Blurred, Yet Undeniably Real.
“I believe people see me in a slightly blurred vision, not really like them,” said Mr. Prokup, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder when he was 9.
As he learned to write, a torrent of wisdom, insight and beauty began to saturate the pages of his letters and school assignments.
No longer “locked in silence,” he finally found his voice.
Several of his written reflections — including one about observing Lent and celebrating Easter during the COVID-19 pandemic, another about gazing up at the solar eclipse in 2017, and another about receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation in 2015 — were published in The Catholic Missourian.
He now paints more than he writes.
“I love to paint!” he stated.
His artwork is abstract, colorful and exuberant.
He was introduced to this style in high school and now hones his technique independently, which brings him great joy.
“I like abstract art because it doesn’t just mean one thing,” he stated. “It allows everyone to see art differently.”
For a person experiencing the art, it becomes a reflection of what is in that individual’s heart and soul at the moment he or she examines it.
“The next time you look at the same piece, you may see and feel something entirely different,” Mr. Prokup stated.
He called to mind with gratitude Bridget Weimer, his art teacher at Bevier C-4 High School, who was willing to modify art assignments for him, and his mother, Janet Prokup, who helped him complete those projects.
In time, his aunt, Jeanne Marie “Brie” Fiquet, and his sister, Dominica Eitel, also became ardent supporters of his expression.
“Their walls are loaded with my artwork,” Mr. Prokup noted.
In the past couple of years, his nephews, 7-year-old Braxton and 4-year-old Alec, have come to appreciate and enjoy their Uncle Tone’s art pieces.
“I love that such young eyes see beauty in abstract art!” said Mr. Prokup.
He works from his family’s home on their farm near Bevier.
The inspiration for his art comes from the joy he feels when he completes a piece entirely on his own and when his work is appreciated by others.
He said he’s fortunate to have some of his items displayed and sold at Joy House Store in Estes Park, Colorado. All the items there are created by adults who have special needs.
He recently displayed his work as one of the vendors at this year’s Christmas in Bevier event Bevier C-4 School.
A fifth-generation member of the Bevier mission, he grew up receiving his Sacraments in the church and community of his family and of their ancestors.
He loves being Catholic. Although currently unable to attend Mass physically, he remains an active parishioner in his heart.
“My sister is a Eucharistic minister and brings Holy Communion to me often, and this makes me happy,” he stated.
His mother accompanies him to church when no one else is there, which allows him to pray in peace. He sometimes helps her replenish the votive candles.
He said he’s constantly at prayer while painting.
“My kind of praying is the acceptance of God being in my life in everything I do,” he said.
As Advent moves toward Christmas, he suggests that everyone should ask God for help being less judgmental and more accepting of others, “just like Jesus showed us when he walked this earth!”
He hopes the first words he ever speaks will be “thank you.”
“There are many things I could say or more accurately ask God when I see him face-to-face,” he noted. “But the very first thing I would say would be, ‘Thank you! Thank you for always being there for me!’”
