Events & Retreats – 1.18.23

INAI Art Gallery Hosts Exhibit by Carole Harris, Textile Artist

The art gallery at INAI: A Space Apart, adjacent to Weber Retreat and Conference Center, opens a new exhibit, Carole Harris: Textile Artist. The exhibit is open from Friday, February 3, 2023, through Sunday, May 21, 2023. The Artist’s Reception is from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Sunday, April 23, 2023. All guests are screened for COVID-19 and are required to wear masks.

Carole Harris, a Detroit-based fiber artist, has extended the boundaries of traditional quilting through inclusion of other forms of stitchery, irregular shapes, textures, materials, and objects. Captivated by the interplay of hue, pattern, and texture, she often draws inspiration from the color, energy, and rhythms of ethnographic textiles that she collects, as well as the music, changing rhymes, and history of her environment. 

In 2015, Carole was awarded a Kresge Foundation Visual Arts Fellowship. Her work has been exhibited extensively. In 2018, she was one of two veteran artists honored with an exhibition in the Detroit Institute of Arts. Her work was also included in The Sum of Many Parts: 25 Quiltmakers in 21st Century America, which toured China in 2012. She was a guest lecturer for that exhibit.

INAI (pronounced in-EYE, meaning “within” in Japanese) is a contemplative space and art gallery that resonates with the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ Vision: to seek truth, make peace, and reverence life. It houses an art gallery, a quiet space for personal reflection and meditation, and an art room. INAI: A Space Apart is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily, or by appointment. Call 517-266-4090 or 517-266-4000.

Weber Center is on the campus of the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ Motherhouse, Adrian, Michigan. Traveling east on Siena Heights Drive, pass the Adrian Rea Literacy Center and turn left just before the solar panel-covered parking lot. Follow the signs to Weber Center. For information, call the Weber Center at 517-266-4000.

Perspectives and Projections with John Nichols

Journalist, author, and commentator John Nichols will return to Siena Retreat Center on Tuesday, February 28th, to offer his sage analysis of current events. His fresh and humorous way of pinpointing issues will leave us with his belief in the power of people’s minds and hearts to meet the challenges of our times. 

Registration link:  https://www.sienaretreatcenter.org/events/perspectives-and-projections-john-nichols-0

Courage, Questions, and Cosmology: The World and Wisdom of Nicholas Copernicus

Astronomer Nicholas Copernicus was known for popularizing the scientific understanding that the Earth revolves around the sun. What were the questions and moments of courage behind the “Copernican Revolution?” Offered via Zoom on Thursday, February 16th, this reflection will open up the world of Nicholas Copernicus, the Islamic contributions that led to his conclusions, and the lasting lessons of re-examining our worldview.
Registration link:  https://www.sienaretreatcenter.org/events/virtual-courage-questions-and-cosmology-world-and-wisdom-nicholas-copernicus

Forest Ecology Walk

SINSINAWA, Wis.—On Saturday, February 18, from 10 to 11 a.m., Laurana Snyder will be leading a forest ecology walk at Sinsinawa Mound. Come join us to hike and learn all about forest ecology in our little slice of the Driftless. This is an outdoor activity and we will be hiking on and off trail so be sure to bring sturdy hiking boots and weather appropriate clothing. Registration ends February 16 and the fee is $10 per person. Contact Arrangements at 608-748-4411 or visit our website at //www.sinsinawa.org/moundcenter for more information. Sinsinawa Mound, the motherhouse for the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, is located in southwest Wisconsin on County Road Z, off Highway 11, about five miles northeast of Dubuque.

Canvas Painting: Bird Silhouette

SINSINAWA, Wis.—On Saturday, February 18, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., join artist, Sarah Barnes, to paint a bird silhouette on canvas at Sinsinawa Mound. All supplies will be provided. Bring along your family and friends for an enjoyable and creative morning. Please register by February 15 and the fee is $35 per person. All visitors to Sinsinawa Mound are to check in with the receptionist and wear face mask. Contact Arrangements at 608-748-4411 or visit our website at //www.sinsinawa.org/moundcenter for more information. Sinsinawa Mound, the motherhouse for the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, is located in southwest Wisconsin on County Road Z, off Highway 11, about five miles northeast of Dubuque.

Virtual Presentation Focuses on Thomas Aquinas and his ‘Fierce Wisdom’ for Hard Times

St. Thomas Aquinas, a Dominican Friar, was a fierce proponent of science and religion working together in the revelation of God’s creation. Episcopal priest and theologian Rev. Matthew Fox, PhD, explores the relevance of St. Thomas Aquinas for our world today during a live stream presentation, The Tao of Thomas Aquinas: Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times. The program is offered by Weber Retreat and Conference Center from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. EST on Thursday, January 26, 2023.

In his presentation, Rev. Fox explores a number of Thomas Aquinas’ rich teachings, including the “original goodness” and love of God in everyday things; the primacy of conscience; the common good; compassion and justice; and non-dualism. 

Rev. Fox, a proponent of Creation Spirituality for more than 50 years, founded the University of Creation Spirituality in 1996 to establish a new pedagogy for learning spirituality that was grounded in an effort to reawaken the West to its own mystical traditions in figures such as Thomas Aquinas, Hildegard of Bingen, and Meister Eckhart. He has given lectures and retreats and written numerous books, including The Tao of Thomas Aquinas: Fierce Wisdom for Hard Times (2020).

The cost for the presentation is $20. Registration is required to receive the live stream link. Registration is available at www.webercenter.org; click on “programs.” Registrations may also be made by calling 517-266-4000 or emailing webercenter@adriandominicans.org. Limited scholarships are available.