Who Would She Be
When Sister Corita contemplated a step away, she had to completely re-imagine her identity, who she was and who she would be.
She had been a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary for 32 years, since 1936 when she decided after high school to go into the order. Her devotion was such that she had to give her all. During her time at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Academy she thrust her whole self into teaching. Many of former students could testify as to the amount of work she piled on them as if her class was the only one they were taking. Her assignments ranged from visiting grocery stores to observe signage to helping create installations for the New York World’s Fair and a walk-thru exhibit at the World Council of Churches Assembly in Uppsala, Sweden. And, of course, there was the Mary’s Day Parade where the class printed banners, programs, etc for the ceremony. This would be a great leap.
For so long she had been a teacher-nun, a sister-nun, artist-nun—what
would she be if she left all that behind?
It is a bit like an astronaut rocketing into the unknown, something also happening during the 1960s, leaving planet Earth for the moon—or in this case an alternative solar system.
At age 50 this was a lot to contemplate, but being an artist who is constantly exercising her imagination, she would have to re-imagine herself.
She would have to:
*Change how she dressed, remove the veil, habit, overflowing
robe
*Change her name, her original name 32 years before had been
Frances, what would they call her now?
*Change her address, where would she live, would she have a
studio?
*Would she continue to teach?
It was as if every element of her physical and interior make-up would need a make-over.
My series on Corita inspired by:
CORITA KENT. ART AND SOUL. THE BIOGRAPHY.
By April Dammann
Published by Angel City Press, 160 pages, $40
To read the entire series, Search Corita Kent or click on tags.
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