Visual Art Experience
"With every stroke of the paintbrush, every stitch in fabric, every handful of clay, every iconography workshop and every shaving of wood that falls away, the history of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration is told through the art and fine arts created over the years by the sisters themselves," Perspectives magazine shares in the story "FSPA Shares 'Love of Creation," Franciscan tradition of art."
"Art has always played an essential role in the lives of the sisters — an outlet to express their love of creation, a celebration of the beauty of the world and a means to live out their Franciscan values. The Franciscan tradition of art is often encapsulated in the legendary story of Mother Antonia Herb, who went out to buy food for the community and purchased a painting instead. As she explained it, the sisters needed food for their souls as well as their bodies."
For 175 years, FSPA has worked to enrich the lives of others. They are a talented group of individuals, working past retirement to serve and inspire. The creativity they possess spans a reach that not only touches their immediate community but spans worldwide.
Now it is critical that we preserve the legacy of “every brush stroke” and share the beauty and joy of FSPA art in this visual collection. A selection of FSPA artists and their galleries of work are to be featured here, in celebration of both 175 years of prayer, witness and service, and their legacies will live on in this visual gallery for generations to come.
Celebrating Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration Joan Weisenbeck
Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration Joan Weisenbeck was born in 1937 and grew up on a farm near Durand, Wisconsin. She had seven siblings, one who eventually became a Salvatorian priest and another, an FSPA. The other five married.
She has been a part of the FSPA community for over 65 years. Sister Joan’s ministries include teaching in Wisconsin, Iowa and Guam, as well as parish ministry, retreat and spiritual direction ministry in Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin. She has held FSPA leadership positions and served on several boards over the years. Her degrees include a Bachelor of Arts in biology, a Master of Arts in teaching and a Master of Arts in pastoral studies. During her time working at theFSPA-sponsored Franciscan Spirituality Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin, she launched several long-standing programs and services, including group spiritual direction, icon retreats and at-home retreats, and was involved in the Spiritual Direction Preparation Program.
Former FSC director, Jeff Dols, honors Sister Joan’s work at the center in a letter: “Her programs have helped people to connect with the sacred experientially: through walking labyrinths, contemplating art, writing icons, painting mandalas, and listening to music. Many people do not recognize these experiences as forms of prayer, but Joan always was able to make a connection.” She retired from the Franciscan Spirituality Center in 2012. In her retirement years, she has continued to participate in FSC iconography workshops and writing icons in her own time. Since 1998 she has painted over 50 icons.
We invite you to experience Sister Joan's iconography interview and gallery.
view Sister Joan's art gallery
Click the images below to experience more FSPA artists, their stories and their art galleries.
