Art Legacy League

The Art Legacy League is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and sharing the artwork of Father Edward M. Catich. Our studio location features the only full-time exhibition of his original watercolor, calligraphy, and stone inscriptions.

Father Edward M. Catich (1906 –1979)

His forty-year career as a priest and professor was marked by significant contributions to the fields of letterforms, calligraphy and religious art.

Father Catich is well known for his brush written calligraphy and stone inscriptions. He was an award winning printer as founder and sole proprietor of The Catfish Press. International recognition came as a result of his self-published texts based on his research of the Trajan Inscription in Rome. His once controversial theory regarding the origin of the serif is now widely accepted as fact.

Catich attracted the attention of the Vatican with his modern images of biblical characters and was one of the first to depict a clean-shaven, modern-day Christ with short hair and blue jeans. He touched many lives as priest, prolific artist, scholar, author, teacher, musician, inscription cutter, calligrapher, photographer, liturgical artist, historian, lecturer and printer.

Mission Statement
The Art Legacy League (ALL) Mission is to foster the tradition of art education based on critical thinking skills and right reason of making as developed by the Reverend Edward M. Catich. His focus on the development of concepts, skills, and practical applications produced generations of artists capable of working in many venues within the art world. His lifelong involvement in global secular and religious art in multiple media as well as his groundbreaking work in calligraphy and letter forms established high standards for every one of his students. The ALL will support that tradition of artistic excellence.

The Art Legacy League is both a gallery of exceptional art and a studio workspace equipped to conduct classes in watercolor, calligraphy, inscription cutting in stone, and any number of other art related creations.

This Imperial Roman Alphabet slate by Father Edward Catich is one of the examples of artwork that is on constant display in the gallery. Visitors and students are given the opportunity to study works like these magnificently hand-cut letters.

Additionally, they enjoy stunning views of the mighty Mississippi River that flows just beyond or building. We are located in central United States at the intersection of interstates I-80 and I-74.

  • Amy S. Nielsen is President of the Art Legacy League and curator of the Catich collection. at the ALL in Davenport, Iowa. She is an accomplished artist who was trained by Father Catich and has many years of teaching and commercial art experience.

    Amy is the ALL’s most dedicated member and welcomes anyone who cares to visit the gallery’s vast collection of original work by Father Catich. Contact us:

    artlegacyleague@gmail.com