Julian Stanczak

1928
Born in Borownica, Poland.

1940-42
Concentration camp, Perm, Siberia. Permanently lost the use of right arm (had been right-handed). After escaping from the camp, joined and then deserted from the Polish army-in-exile.

Wandered alone through the Middle East before rejoining family in Teheran, Persia (Iran).

1942-48
Polish refugee camp, Uganda, Africa. First private art lessons.

1948-50
Went to Borough Polytechnic Institute in London, England.

1950
Emigrated to the United States.

1954
Received BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art.

1956
Became United States citizen.
Completed MFA at Yale University, studying under Josef Albers and Conrad Marca Relli.

1963
Married artist Barbara M. Meerpohl.

1964
Daughter Danusia M. born.

1970
Son Krzys M. born.

1995
Retired after 38 years of teaching at the Cleveland Institute of Art and at hosted visits.

1963-present
Resides in Seven Hills, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland.

In a 2007 interview by Brian Sherwin, Stanczak recalled his experiences with war and the loss of his right arm and how both influenced his art. Stanczak explained, "The transition from using my left hand as my right, main hand, was very difficult. My youthful experiences with the atrocities of the Second World War are with me, but I wanted to forget them and live a "normal" life and adapt into society more fully. In the search for Art, you have to separate what is emotional and what is logical. I did not want to be bombarded daily by the past; I looked for anonymity of actions through non-referential, abstract art."