Art piece celebrates Society of the Sacred Heart
March 20, 2018
WEB EXCLUSIVE Visual Arts Department Chair Rachel McIntire shared a small fraction of her public art commissions for Convent & Stuart Hall to her Art Foundations II class for their feedback today during class.
McIntire is currently working with Caleb Duarte, who has been commissioned to make this art piece. He is known for his paintings, sculptures and performances.
“This specific work is a commission for our community that ties to the bicentennial of Philippine Duchesne and Sister Mary (Be) Mardel’s birthday,” McIntire said. “We thought what perfect timing to create a work of art specifically for our school to tell a story about where we have been and where we are going.”
McIntire has asked all her classes to critique and give feedback to incorporate their ideas into the art piece.
“I liked how it had color in it, but not too much, and how there was a strong female presence because that’s what our school started from,” sophomore Gráinne Birmingham said. “I think our school is well represented because it has a lot of femininity, but it also incorporates men and schools from around the world.”
To celebrate their international sister schools, McIntire and Duarte have gotten art submissions from schools in places like South Korea, Uganda and Mexico. The piece will also contain Mater and two of the earliest women graduates of the Convent of the Sacred Heart High School.
“Having the opportunity to be guided by our leadership and Sister Mardel, and work with such a talented artist whose work I really trust has been wonderful,” McIntire said. “It’s been on the edge of excitement and a little bit of fear.”
