8 minute read
Art Finds a Way
PHOTOGRAPHY
Alex Byers
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STORY
Madison Harry
Art Finds A Way
Since day one, the arts have had a place and purpose here on the grounds of Saint Vincent. Founder of the first Benedictine monastery, Boniface Wimmer, O.S.B., knew from the beginning in 1846 that the arts play a role not only in faith but also in building a strong and well-rounded educational foundation. From the strum of a guitar to the flick of a brush to the shaping of clay, each of the fine arts have helped to mold Saint Vincent into the institution it is today.
There is no denying that when you step foot on the Saint Vincent campus, art can be found everywhere. It is ingrained in the architecture of the Basilica and the Verostko Center for the Arts, it can be seen in the paintings adorning the walls, and it can be felt during the theatre performances that make you laugh and sing along. Each of these serves as examples of Wimmer’s vision manifested in the modern day.
“I am determined,” said Wimmer, “to have our monasteries be not only schools of religion and of the sciences, but also nurseries of the fine arts in order to develop a better taste for these things...”
In order to establish a monastery and school immersed in the arts, Wimmer began the initiative of collecting and acquiring. King Ludwig I of Bavaria and other benefactors played a crucial role in the arrangement of musical instruments, paintings, and books making their way to Saint Vincent. From these earliest days, over 175 years ago, art was integral in the faith of the Benedictines and used as a mode to instruct students, encompassing the idea of the liberal arts. There became a balance between science, faith, and art—the community Wimmer envisioned.
“Historically, art was first used to teach but also now allows access to innovative ideas and different perspectives,” said Andrew Julo, director and curator for the Verostko Center for the Arts. “Art has this creative purpose but has become a way to support the spiritual and formative pursuits of people at all levels. It is woven into the everyday as we see the humanness
Saint Vincent College Players’ spring 2017 production of Anything Goes. of life, love, death, or desire become the central themes in works.”
With art being a vehicle to express faith and ideas, objects in service of ideas, the Benedictines served as keepers and caretakers for these items. Those who have come after Wimmer have continued his commitment to collecting, and it is thanks to those individuals and benefactors that the arts are still a prominent part of Saint Vincent.
King Ludwig I gave a variety of instruments to Saint Vincent in the early 1850s, and by the 1860s, students were already excelling in musical instrumentation. From the College’s archives, a class catalogue from 1859-1860 shares the subject distinguishments in piano, violin, clarinet, flute, and brass instruments that students received. The fine arts were thoroughly integrated throughout ceremonial exercises, with commencement being a full day grand affair, featuring orchestrated and choral works, poetry readings, and even theatre performances. The 1867 ceremony included at least eight musical numbers, a two-act theatrical performance, vocals, and poetry readings. At a forefront then, the fine arts have expanded to include designated academic programs and collaborative efforts. “The beauty that the arts provide within the liberal arts education tradition combined with our unique Benedictine heritage is a moment of encounter that has the possibility to unify the hearts and minds of the participants and the viewers and listeners,” Dr. Thomas Octave, associate professor of music and fine arts department chair, explained.
The beauty, he explains, is not only for the immediate Saint Vincent community of faculty, staff, Benedictines, or students, but it is a beauty that so many others get to experience when they step foot on campus. Saint Vincent has maintained a commitment to collaboration that continues to share the arts with others. Octave references the Saint Vincent Concert Series, Music at Midday, the collaboration with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and Summer Theatre as some of the many programming initiatives that bring the community together—a togetherness that is continuing to be strengthened post-pandemic.
Summer 2022 saw its first Summer Theatre season in two years due to a hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The season featured Dan Groggin’s “Nunsense” and Ken Ludwig’s “Lend Me a Tenor” directed by Greggory Brandt, producing artistic director for Saint Vincent Summer Theatre and assistant professor of theatre at the College.
Brandt remarked, “Being involved in the arts makes us more human. It helps us to make sense of our own lives and relate to the lives of others as well as build community. Studying and doing art enables you to tap into your own creativity and allows for self-expression and creativity to take place.” He added that it is more important than ever to emote feelings and expressions as we move forward in this COVID world. “Art empowers and prepares us to think more critically, to feel more comfortable in any social setting, and build stronger communication skills.”
As a creative, community resource, art has been able to thrive through intentional and designated spaces, whether that is the Verostko Center on campus or the Latrobe Art Center in the community. These places have carried art forward by continuing to innovate and educate through community outreach and partnerships.
In February 2022, the Latrobe Art Center and the Fred Rogers Institute launched the series “Won’t You Be My Neighbor, Again?” supported by a Humanities Research for the Public Good grant from The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC). While not entirely focused on paintings or sculptures, the value of art is a key theme. Art was present in the “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” program, with Fred Rogers advocating for art and the importance of teaching art to children.
“Fred Rogers embodied what it meant to bring the arts to everyone—in a way that encouraged equity and accessibility. Fred would often welcome guests who specialized in creative arts, such as cellist Yo-Yo-Ma, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, and the cast of STOMP!, and visual artists such as author and illustrator Eric Carle, Native American potter Dolly Naranjo, and artist Red Grooms,” said Dr. Dana Winters, executive director of the Fred Rogers Institute.
She further explained that the recent partnership with the Latrobe Art Center allowed the Institute and Fred Rogers scholars to create and curate an exhibit from materials in the Fred Rogers Archive. “Students worked with faculty and staff to create an exhibit demonstrating ‘Arts in the Neighborhood,’ which was on display at Latrobe Art Center in April and May of 2022. The Fred Rogers Institute students, faculty, and staff worked together to show
— GREGGORY BRANDT
Producing Artistic Director, Saint Vincent Summer Theatre
how the Archive materials from Fred Rogers’ past can continue to inform the appreciation of the creative arts in many neighborhoods today.”
The Foster and Muriel McCarl Coverlet Gallery is another instance where art has been fostered to educate through programming while navigating ways to connect the past and present. Housed in the bottom floor of the Fred Rogers Center, the gallery has remained vibrant through initiatives and connections, providing flexible opportunities to navigate digital spaces.
Dr. Karen Kehoe, associate professor of history and member of the Gallery’s advisory committee said, “Throughout the pandemic, there was hard work and exploration of digital platforms to offer programming, such as the Gallery’s dinner theater offerings becoming Zoom performances. There was also consistent contact with other museums, galleries, and historic textile programs.” She explained that because of this work, the gallery has been able to remain a “vibrant part of the public history of the regions.”
Kehoe also acknowledges the efforts of the previous director of the McCarl Gallery, Lauren Churilla, and student workers. Through their determination and dedication, scholars and visitors were able to make appointments to visit the gallery during specific times designated just for them. “As the coverlets provided comfort and support to those people of the past, the McCarl Gallery was at the forefront of helping modern-day people begin to cope with the pandemic.”
Another component of Churilla’s efforts to move the arts forward is exhibited through the humanities departments at Saint Vincent and their receival of a grant from PA Humanities for the PA SHARP (Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan) initiative—providing funding to strengthen the humanities and public history programs. The grant will support projects related to a podcast series, an oral history project, and digital and physical exhibits, allowing opportunities for faculty, students, and external community artists to be involved. The collecting done in the early days and the commitment to making sure that art is around for generations is a reason that Saint Vincent is such an art-centric place. The Verostko Center was made to be a gallery, with a secure location and temperature-controlled atmosphere, allowing for the preservation of the works of the past and the now.
The idea of intersectionality is an overall theme of the Center, drawing from the innovativeness of Roman Verostko, C’55, S’59, H’21, Professor Emeritus at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and pioneer in generative and algorithmic art, for which the Center was named. Aligned with the mission of the College and its commitment to the liberal arts, the freedom of exploration has a place to unfold.
It’s a place where students can express themselves through the Student Art Exhibition, a place where other artists can share their works—a place full of intention and to ask questions. “Art has the capacity to reflect on the past but also create for the future,” said Julo. “There is this allowance to self-actualize and discover the past in deeper ways. It serves as this connection point for ideas to intersect.”
As a liberal arts college founded on Benedictine values, the arts at Saint Vincent have a history, a deep-rooted history, from the time of its founding to the present day. Art is so prevalent at Saint Vincent and in the local community. How has it endured? It’s thanks to the individuals who have played a role and have dedicated their time and passion to preservation, education, and support— creative thinking in the times of challenge.
People find a way, and that is why the arts have, too. ♦
