Sister Matthew Cola, OSF

We are delighted to present a one-woman show upstairs in the Hallway Gallery featuring the work of Sister Matthew Cola. Sister Matthew, OSF entered the Franciscan Sisters of Ringwood in January of 1951, leaving behind the prospect of a happy and successful business career. Her great love for God, humanity, travel and the arts influenced many and brought great joy to students of all ages during her teaching career of 45 years.

She spent seven years as a teacher at St. Catherine’s and continues to offer a “day at the Metropolitan” for our students. In her art classes, Sister Matthew was able to combine the works and styles of the great artists with the music of that particular period, so that students would understand and appreciate the great masterpieces.

Whenever it was possible, a trip to a museum to see the great works was a real treat. Her love and appreciation of all types of art became an incentive for her students to create their own works…to discover their own talents. In 1977, Sister Matthew made her own discovery: She could create her own oil paintings.

In these past years she has enjoyed her classes with Mike Malzone, who decided to put her many paintings she had set aside for her nieces and nephews, on exhibit at the Pequannock Library during the month of September to October 18th of 2010.

Many of these paintings will be shown in our Gallery upstairs at the Photo, Art, and Poetry Exhibit at St.Catherine's on March 18, 19 and 20. Sister always feels that if she can do these, then so can you....TRY IT...it's a lot of fun and at the same time we glorify the beauty of GOD!