In the Spring of 1949, Catherine Muehlbauer was born the daughter of Alois and Catherine Muehlbauer in Buffalo, New York. She joined her two older brothers, William and James, to complete the family of five.
From her earliest school days, Catherine was encouraged by the Sisters of Saint Mary of Namur, who recognized even then her youthful artistic talent. It was from those tender years that the two major directions of her life began to intertwine for Catherine. Nurturing a love for art throughout elementary and high school, the daily interaction with the sisters inspired in Catherine a deep interest in their lifestyle. She enthusiastically entered the community in 1967.
After her novitiate, she received her B.S. in Fine Art from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. From there she went on to teach art at Mount Saint Mary Academy, a private high school for girls, run by the sisters at that time.
In 1981, the call to be an artist moved Sister Catherine to utilize her talent in a more direct manner through the creation of sacred art. It was at that time that she first had the opportunity to work with several parishes, in a true "co-missioning" in the creation of sacred image-making. The vital nature of collaborating with others, and drawing out an image from within, began to reveal itself as Sister Catherine saw the meaning of her work reflecting back through the eyes and hearts of others.
Up to the challenge, but feeling the need to further refine her raw talent, in 1990, Sister Catherine, with the blessing of her community, returned to study for her MFA in Sculpture at the University of Buffalo, New York. There she focused in figure and portrait study, and learned the age-old traditions of mold-making and bronze casting.
In the years that have followed, Sister Catherine has continued to work on commissions from parishes, locally and at a distance, doing numerous large wood-carvings and outdoor castings.
Most recently, Sister Catherine, along with an assistant, has begun "Minsart Studio," named after the founder of the Sisters of Saint Mary Namur, Nicholas Joseph Minsart. Their congregational history recounts that after the ravages of the French Revolution in Belgium, Father Minsart sought to care for the poor not only in body, but also to feed their souls through the construction and enhancement of beautiful churches. Within those sacred structures, he hoped all could be spiritually nourished through beauty and meaningful imagery. In her new studio venture, Sister Catherine hopes to walk closely in his footsteps, continuing to spread the gospel message in visual form.
Karen
Karen Rung lives in Colden, NY, just down the hill from Minsart Studio.
She is the happily married spouse of Greg, and together they are
parents of four grown children. Karen was born and grew up in West
Seneca, NY, the middle child of three siblings. She graduated from
State University College at Buffalo in Special Education focusing on
communication disorders. Before her marriage in 1973, she taught in the
City of Buffalo School System. When their first child was born, Karen
remained home to raise her family. Later, she went back to the
classroom as a substitute teacher for 11 years. Colden happens to be
a quaint, rural community, and a wonderful place to raise a family.
Happily for the Rungs, it is near a number of ski areas. As an avid
skier, and longtime ski instructor, Karen has passed those gifts on to
her children who relish the joys of winter sports.
As Studio
Assistant at Minsart Studio, Karen's job has many facets. She rises to
every occasion! Karen has many complimentary gifts to Sr. Catherine,
making them a great team. Whether she is cutting stained-glass, pouring
pewter, sweeping the floor, buying beads, making phone calls, or
whatever the challenge may be, Karen is a tremendous asset to ALL the efforts of Minsart Studio.
Minsart Studio . 8691 Supervisor Ave . Colden, New York 14033
