2021: Year in Review

As last year seemed to have passed more quickly than any before, we again take the opportunity to pause and reflect on the many milestones for which we are grateful to the Lord in his Providence.

On March 12, Bishop Steven Raica of the Diocese of Birmingham re-dedicated the renovated, historic church of St. Leo the Great in Demopolis, AL. We are grateful to our good friend Fr. Justin Ward for working with us on this project, to Liturgical Arts Journal for their coverage, and to Murals by Jericho and New Holland Church Furnishings for their great work on this very special project.

Before (top) and after (bottom) of the historic interior renovation of St. Leo the Great in Demopolis, AL

Tree of Life, Living Vine by Albl Oberammergau

On August 26th, Bishop Joe Vásquez of Austin blessed a new (refurbished) brass tabernacle, new wood altar of repose to match the existing altar of sacrifice and ambo, and a new custom crucifix made by Albl Oberammergau in collaboration with Studio io at the University Catholic Center on the University of Texas at Austin campus. We are grateful to Fr. Jonathan Raia for allowing us to help with this wonderful endeavor – the impact to the Holy Spirit Chapel, a place where Michael spent a lot of time in college, is tremendous; we pray it blesses many other students with a truly sacramental encounter with Christ in the liturgy. Again, we are grateful to our friends at Liturgical Arts Journal for their coverage of this exciting commission.

Bishop Vásquez then had an exciting re-dedication of his own on October 9 at St. Mary of the Assumption in Taylor, TX. A beautiful project in the works for a couple of years as it went through various planning phases, the decorative paint was completed by John Canning Liturgical Arts in a rich scheme that complemented Marians blues with dark wood trim.

Before (top) and after (bottom) of the large renovation project at St. Mary of the Assumption in Taylor, TX

Drawings and general construction for the renovation – in close collaboration with Canning and other consultants and including the move of a historic pipe organ which was salvaged from the previous church – were completed by K4. Studio io team has also been collaborating with K4 on Church of the Visitation in Westphalia, where the new church is quickly taking shape. Albl Oberammergau is completing work on a large furnishings and statuary package to replace the items lost in the 2019 fire, which will also include a sizable stained glass replacement package by Foster Studio, also currently in production.

The recognizable twin towers of the historically-inspired rebuild of the Church of the Visitation in Westphalia, TX and some of the the stunning replacement / replica stained glass, statuary, & furnishings.

While much of the previous year (2020) was spent on the development of the design for a new church at St. Mary’s in College Station, 2021 saw the vision begin to materialize. On May 19, Bishop Joe Vásquez blessed the site and lead groundbreaking for the construction, which commenced shortly thereafter. Four bronze bells are currently on site awaiting installation in the bell tower as the steel frame nears completion. Likewise, the 9-foot tall brass statue of Our Lady of Victory will soon be installed atop the dome. The first stained glass window featuring St. Francis of Assisi was completed by Foster Studio and is temporarily being housed in the student center atrium where it is on display facing what will be the future entrance to the new church. A sample pew with kneeler is also on display in the lobby.

Lots of progress at St. Mary’s in College Station as early sacred art & furnishings arrive and the steel frame is erected.

Soon to follow and hopefully show construction progress this coming spring is the new addition to St. John Vianney Seminary in St. Paul, MN, including a new chapel, offices, and residences. The project has been a wonderful collaboration with Twin Cities architect Finn-Daniels and several local artists and craftsmen.

St. John Vianney Seminary in St. Paul MN

Just before Christmas, construction was wrapping up on the first phase chapel renovation at the John Paul II Newman Center at the University of Illinois - Chicago (UIC), which was Dedicated on Jan 8. More photos of the completed work to follow soon, as well as the launch of a second phase to include new stained glass and additional renovations and sacred art components. Our team’s many thanks to Fr. Connor Danstrom for his enthusiastic leadership of this exciting project.

Before (top) and After / Dedication (bottom) at John Paul II Newman Center at UIC in Chicago. Below: progress photos as construction draws to a close in preparation for Dedication.

The year also brought significant life changes to several members of the team as well, beginning with Elsa Kosegarten-Stubblefield and her husband Jeremy and two children moving to Atchison, KS, where Jeremy is now teaching at Benedictine University. Michael Raia and his wife Hannah were married at St. Mary Cathedral in Austin, TX on September 25. Michael’s brother Fr. Jonathan Raia celebrated the liturgy. Video can be found here, credit to Mark Leatherman. Photo credit to Arlen Nydam.

Not long thereafter, Katie Ortega and Jerome were married at Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Denver, CO on Nov 27 by good friend Fr. Callan Sweeney. Photo credit Anderson Art.

Finally, as a critical element in Studio io’s mission, a good deal of formation took place in the last year as well, courtesy of several gracious hosts. Here are some highlights:

In closing, we are so grateful to our clients and those who financially support the projects that provide us work and pay our bills. We also want to provide a sincere thanks to all of you who enthusiastically support our mission and pray for us, our families, and our work. We pray the Lord continues to count us worthy to serve him in this wonderful vocation. May God richly bless you and yours in the coming year!