Kura Book Publishing LLC

An independent publishing house in Avon, Minnesota. “Kura” is a Japanese word that, roughly translated, means “storehouse.”

Kura: Prophetic Messenger

by Richard Bresnahan

 

In August 2020, Richard Bresnahan's sculpture Kura: Prophetic Messenger became the first permanent installation of the Jon Hassler Sculpture Garden on the grounds of Saint John's Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minnesota.

This book serves to document facets of the sculpture’s making, describing the people, thought processes, materials, and stories that compose Kura: Prophetic Messenger.

Richard Bresnahan is the founder and director of the Saint John's Pottery and for more than 40 years has served as artist-in-residence of Saint John's University and the College of Saint Benedict.

 

Nautilus Book Award, GOLD WINNER

Kura: Prophetic Messenger won gold in the Photography and Art category of the 2022 Nautilus Book Award.

National Indie Excellence Awards, WINNER

Kura: Prophetic Messenger won the Fine Arts category of the 16th annual National Indie Excellence Awards.

UPPER MIDWEST BOOK AWARD, Gold Winner

Kura: Prophetic Messenger won gold in the Arts/Photography/Coffee Table Books category of the Midwest Independent Publishers Association’s 2022 Upper Midwest Book Awards.

Minnesota Book Award, Finalist

Kura: Prophetic Messenger was a finalist for the 2022 Minnesota Book Awards, Emilie Buchwald Award for Minnesota Nonfiction, presented in April 2022 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Learn more the awards and honors that Kura: Prophetic Messenger has received.

Get a behind the scenes view of making the book from book designer Paul Nylander.

 

About the Author

Richard Bresnahan is the founder and director of the Saint John’s Pottery in Collegeville, Minnesota, and for more than 40 years has served as artist-in-residence of Saint John’s University and the College of Saint Benedict.

Richard completed a nearly four-year apprenticeship in ceramics with a Living National Treasure family in Karatsu, Japan, earning the designation Master Potter. In 1979, he returned to the United States to establish the Saint John's Pottery. His handmade, functional work can be found in collections such as the Minneapolis Institute of Art in Minnesota and the Idemitsu Museum of Arts in Tokyo, Japan.