Lack was born 1946 in Montreal, Québec, Canada. He graduated from McGill University in 1967 with a bachelor's degree in psychology. In 1969, he earned his master of fine arts in sculpture at Universidad Guanajuato in San Miguel, Mexico. Mr. Lack, a world-renowned painter, also acted in nine movies. His film credits include Scanners (1981), Dead Ringers (1988), and All the Vermeers in New York (1990). His paintings have earned him awards from the National Endowment of the Arts and the Canada Council of the Arts. His work is exhibited worldwide in numerous museums including the Australian National Gallery in Sydney and the Brooklyn Museum in New York City.