“I feel that I was born with a crayon in my hand,” Dominican Sister of Hope Sylvia Bielen, O.P. says. This weekend, The Mariandale Center celebrated her lifelong commitment to art in many forms —including painting, calligraphy, and watercolor— at her art show,...
When it comes to connecting with God, contemplation is key. As Sister Nancy Sylvester, IHM put it: “Silence is God’s first language.” Sitting in silence and stillness, then, and focusing only on breath or even a specific word is important in deepening one’s...
When Dominican Sister of Hope Mary Ellen Wisner, OP was a small child, her mother taught her and her two sisters to draw. As the girls sat around the kitchen table in the early evenings, they slowly learned about the principles of perspective. As such, all three...
Dominican Sister of Hope Lorraine Ferguson, OP has been a teacher and principal, but her true love is art. After becoming a certified art therapist, Sister changed lives through helping others embrace their creativity. While we celebrate the arts during...
When Mary Jane Miller’s friend proposed that they paint icons in the church basement one Wednesday afternoon, she thought he was crazy. “We don’t know a thing about icons!” she protested. The pair had no formal training –save a one-week iconography class— and Mary...
