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Tradition of FSPA and the visual arts runs deep

This bowl is part of the set of dishes that was hand painted by Sister Cecilia Muehlenkamp for her brother, Rev. Anthony Muehlenkamp, in the early 1900s. They were returned to the FSPA after his death.

Information for this article was compiled with the help of Sister Jolyce Greteman, heritage curator for the FSPA.

The visual arts and FSPA today are inseparable, so it's perhaps no surprise that the tradition of participation in the visual arts runs deep. According to documents related to community history, the FSPA's first artist was Sister Luca Bird, who was said to be "extraordinarily talented." She had studied art with the Notre Dame Sisters before entering FSPA. In 1872 she studied with Professor Bernard Durward who came to the convent from Milwaukee. More than 20 years later when the professor returned to teach another session, he remembered Sister Luca because of her talents and asked for her. Unfortunately, Sister Luca had died as a professed novice in 1873.

Painting

Examples of the painting talents of FSPA past and present can be viewed in the halls of St. Rose Convent and well beyond. Some of the finest examples of FSPA painting do not hang on the wall at all. They are meant to be set on the table for use at meals. The painting of china dates back to the 1800s. Today, examples of this finely-detailed work are preserved in the FSPA Heritage Room, including an entire set of china painted by Sister Cecilia Mueh-lenkamp for her brother, Rev. Anthony Muehlenkamp. The set of china was returned to the FSPA upon his death.

One particularly interesting piece of china dates back to 1920, a plate which was painted by Sister Cleta Bakewell (see photo In This Issue). The plate was entered into the La Crosse County Fair but was rejected. Because the detail of the work was so fine, judges doubted that it was painted by hand.

Top photo, this hair weaving frame and stand, supplied with weights, was used in making hair chains and other hair jewelry. This specimen, now rare, was found at St. Angela Academy in Caroll, Iowa, and is now in the FSPA Heritage Room. Bottom photo, the trend of wearing items made of human hair began and persisted during the last four decades of the 19th century. The FSPA become adept at weaving items from jewelry to buttons and wreaths. This close-up of a pin made of hair shows the intricate detail.

Hair weaving

During the last four decades of the 19th century, wearing hair jewelry became popular. FSPA became skilled hair braiders, and as a result they were able to sell the items they made, which commanded good prices. The items were always made to order and constituted both a source of income and a pleasant hobby for the sisters. The sisters weaved items such as breast pins, earrings, watch chains and fobs, bracelets, necklaces, hair studs, sleeve buttons and charms. Heirloom hair jewelry has been returned to the sisters gradually, piece by piece, so that many items are on display in the Heritage Room.

An interesting-looking device was employed in the weaving of hair. While the original equipment for making hair work was destroyed in the St. Rose Convent fire of 1923, there is an example of a hair-weaving frame and stand, supplied with weights, still on display in the Heritage Room. This specimen, now rare, was found at St. Angela Academy in Carroll, Iowa, and is now in the FSPA Heritage Room.

Wax work
As early as the 1870s, FSPA learned the art of wax work, a practice which continued through the first few years of the 20th century. A wax work demonstration set complete with explanatory literature remains today in the Heritage Room. It includes finished specimens as well as specimens in various stages of completion, and all tools required for wax work.

This wax Easter lamb with banner, made by early members of the community during the 1880s-1890s, is on display in the FSPA Heritage Area.

Wax work as an art form required much patience. Those who produced these pieces had to work in super heated rooms, as the temperature had to be kept high so that the wax would remain pliable. Every single petal, leaf, flower, stem and piece of fruit had to be "wrought laboriously" according to historic documents. "A whole year was required to produce some of the larger pieces; and a whole day was hardly enough to make a perfect egg, for it must have no dents."

Several fine examples of the sisters' wax work, made more than 100 years ago, remain in the heritage area today. At present, there are about a dozen examples of wax work: two Christmas cribs, one cross with a winding sheet, one cross with flowers, a flower arrangement, fruit and Easter eggs.

Storage is tricky as temperature must be carefully controlled so that these precious pieces of FSPA history don't melt in the warm sunshine.

Alb lace was made at St. Rose Convent and used in Maria Angelorum Chapel.

Lace making
In 1882, the first FSPA learned how to make bobbin lace, then shared her knowledge with other sisters. They started with lace that was two inches wide made on a small pillow called a drum pillow or "pig." Eventually sisters moved up to creation of lace that was a yard wide; the torchon alb lace was used on special occasions even into the 1950s. This special lace was made on a wide pillow with three sisters working at a time and manipulating a thousand bobbins. To date there are models of this handiwork, left by sisters who created bobbin lace, so that future generations might better appreciate the dedication required for this form of art.

A torchon pillow holds bobbins and a piece of lace being made by Sister Carimira Spengler at the time of her death in 1946.

Needle-made lace was also created by the FSPA and frequently used in the chapels. Such needlework was done in the St. Rose stitching room (or the vestment department) from 1870 on. Because of the wide popularity of such lace, which had become a fabric of romance and dignity, new patterns were often carefully protected.

Bishop Michael Heiss in 1871 wrote to his friend, Father Kilian Kleiner in Germany, asking him to obtain embroidery patterns and other accessories needed by the sisters for their handiwork and vestment making. Examples of various types of work, as well as the precious patterns, have been carefully preserved in the heritage area.

Other art forms embraced by the FSPA abound and a visitor to the Heritage Room need only glance around to gain appreciation for the FSPA dedication to the visual arts throughout the community's history. Some of the methods of artistry have disappeared as automation has taken over or fads have come and gone. Yet these pieces serve as a nod to the unique talents of sisters long gone, and a reminder of the importance of creating a visual diary, no matter what the art form, for future generations to appreciate.

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