The Gallery

The Daughters of Charity are famous for their work in education, healthcare, and in the orphanages.  This exhibit, however, seeks to display some of the artistic talents of the Daughters within the Province of St. Louise.  Each of these works, from the collections of the Archives of the Province, was created by a Daughter, and covers a variety of religious, Vincentian, and secular subjects.

Sister Loretta Hoag, D.C.
American, born 1942
Faces 1, 1989
Watercolor
This is part of a two-part series of faces.  Sister Loretta was an art teacher from 1973-1997 before becoming coordinator of the art program at Roarke Center in Troy, NY.  Her preferred medium for the last 30 years has been bronze sculpture.

Faces 1.jpg

Sister Anna Mae Schaben, D.C.
American, 1920-1990
Mountain & Birds, 1989
Watercolor
Sister Anna Mae Schaben taught art for 45 years in the schools of the Daughters of Charity.  In 1988, Villa St. Michael held a 50-year retrospective of her work.  Her thoughts on art at the time were explained as “I believe that art is man’s response in wonder and joy to the beauty of God and the splendor of order in his creation.”

Mountain and birds.jpg

Sister Mary Grace Higgins, D.C.
American, born 1928
Basket of Flowers, circa 2018
Watercolor
This piece is an impressionist still-life of lilacs and tulips on the Albany, NY campus of the Daughters of Charity.

Basket of Flowers.jpg

Sister Ellen McElroy, D.C.
American, born 1937
On the Rocks, circa 1978
Oil on Canvas
This piece came about from the artist’s interest and fascination in smashing waves.

On the Rocks.jpg

Sister Joan Ann Barrett, D.C.
American, born 1934
Tree Branch Motif, 1988
Ink on Paper
Sister Joan Ann’s sketches and line drawings repeatedly show tree motifs.  This piece is one she created in her spare time during her mission at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Nursing Home in Tainan, Taiwan.

Tree Branch Motif.jpg

Sister Elizabeth Racko, D.C.
American, born 1942
Untitled, mid-1980s
Watercolor
The Emmitsburg Stone House appears in the background of this tree scene on the grounds of the St. Joseph’s Provincial House as it appeared in the mid-1980s. 

Untitled (Racko).jpg

Sister Joan Warner, D.C.
American, born 1958
Joachim, 2002
Wax relief
This piece begins with closed line drawings covered with hot beeswax.  After the wax dries, burnt sienna watercolor is used to create the different shades and colors.  Each layer of sienna adds more color as it settles on a space.  After it cools, the page is twisted to remove the wax and create the white outlines.

Untitled (Warner).jpg

Sister Maria Liebeck, D.C.
American, born 1930
Nuestra Señora Delvalle, 2000s
Pastels
The Virgin del Valle is widely venerated in Venezuela and Argentina.  She appeared in the Province of Catamarca in Argentina between the years 1618 and 1620.  Sister Maria created this work during a period of her art ministry in Arkansas.

Nuestra Senora Delvalle.jpg
The Gallery