About Us
Please allow us to introduce ourselves. We are David and Mary Hoysic from Farmington, in upstate New York. My husband, David, is the grand nephew of Sr. Marie Pierre Semler. Our privilege was to have a very close relationship with Sr. Pierre. David has been visiting with her since he was a toddler. One of the high points of our visits to Sr. Pierre was when she asked if we would like to see what she was working on. We could not wait to get to her studio to see the vast amount of art work, all in various stages of completion. She always told us that she did not know what she would work with when she entered her studio, only that God would direct her. Over the years, we learned so much about Sr. Pierre, her devotion to her work and to her God.
When Sr. Marie Pierre passed away in 1993, at the age of 92, we were concerned about the future of her work. Over the course of 68 years nearly 2,000 pieces had been created. The work was in storage, and we felt that the public should be aware of this “hidden treasure”. From the 1940’ through the 1980’s, Sr. Pierre had reproduced her work to help fund the missions for her congregation, the Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic. After her death, we asked the leadership for permission to exhibit the artwork. We began exhibiting in private homes, and moved to parishes around our community in upstate, New York. The work has been very well received. Eventually we were asked to exhibit in college galleries. Shortly after we began to exhibit the work, visitors were interested in purchasing reproductions of the paintings as well as pencil drawings and sculptures.
With the blessings of the Maryknoll Sisters, we were given permission to continue the reproductions that Sr. Marie Pierre began so long ago. We use the directions, formulas, and molds that she created, and are pleased with the results of our efforts.
This project has become a mission of love for the two of us, and we will continue in the spirit that is the legacy of Sr. Marie Pierre. She began this journey when she entered religious life in 1925, and we feel blessed to continue that journey.
The income that is generated from the sale of this work, goes back into the preservation and restoration of the collection.
We invite you to allow us to bring this work to your community. We know that you will be blessed as a result of viewing this collection.
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