Forest Bathing Art Exhibit Reception
2025-05-30 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
The Japanese practice of Forest Bathing, or shinrin-yoku, is becoming a prevalent way for people to increase their well-being by connecting with the natural environment through their senses. This easily accessible activity can benefit all ages, and serves as a reminder to slow down and be mindful by simply immersing oneself in the sights, sounds, and smells of nature.
In Holy Wisdom’s new art exhibit, local artists Jennifer Peters and Annette Knapstein share their work inspired by Forest Bathing as a “tangible expression of our sensory experience in nature.” Please join us for the Forest Bathing Art Exhibit Reception on Friday, May 30, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm.
Schedule
6:00 pm – Reception begins | light refreshments will be served
6:30 pm – Artists give brief talk about their work and invite questions
8:00 pm – Reception ends
The exhibit is on display in the Gathering Area of the monastery from May 21 – July 21, 2025. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm (excluding holidays) and Sunday 10:00 – 11:00 am.
Artists – Annette Knapstein and Jennifer Peters

“My family always encouraged creativity whether it was in music, art or any other endeavor.”
Annette Knapstein grew up in Oregon, Wisconsin, and now lives in Middleton. Annette earned a degree in Economics and worked in advertising and marketing for more than 30 years. “I definitely used my love for the visual arts in my career,” she laughed. Initially a photographer, Annette began exploring colored pencils, watercolors, and acrylic painting several years ago. “My work is based on my impression of what I see, rather than making an exact replica. My intention is to reflect how I feel about what I am experiencing and seeing.” During COVID, Annette spent a lot of time at Pheasant Branch Conservancy. “Being out in nature gave so much back to me – it was my safe refuge.”

Jennifer Peters, an expressionist photographer, said her work in this exhibit is quite different than the show she had at the monastery in 2017. “The photographs in this exhibit are much more ephemeral, serene, and delicate. By exploring a softer focus on what I experience in nature, the painterly aspect of our natural world is revealed, allowing us to see details that may go unnoticed.” Jennifer attended Stevens College in Columbia, Missouri where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, majoring in piano. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree at UW-Madison. Jennifer taught French at Blackhawk Middle School for 31 years and retired in 2011. Jennifer has always taken photographs, has exhibited throughout the area and participated in art fairs for years. Jennifer volunteers curating the art exhibits at Holy Wisdom and several other local venues.

Registration
Please register by May 28, 2025, in order to have enough refreshments. Thank you!

Blessing and Rededication of Monastery Piano
2025-06-15 14:00 - 15:30 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Last year, the Monastery’s custom built Schimmel grand piano was refurbished with a generous gift from oblate and Sunday Assembly member Sherri Hansen in memory of her late husband, Scott Shimanski. Join us on Sunday, June 15th, at 2:00 pm for a free concert celebrating this gift to our community. There will also be a formal dedication of the instrument by Sister Lynne Smith, OSB.
Participants on the program will include Bill Frederick, Sherri Hansen, Grace Rosholt, George Teague and Patrick Terry. Works by Saint-Saëns, Bérlioz, Debussy, Schubert, Schumann and many more! Please join us for an afternoon reprieve and reverie in the midst of these angst-filled times, celebrating not only this gift, but the power of music to soothe, comfort, and heal.
Cost
There is no cost for this event
Register
Please register by June 14, 2025.

The Houston Accordion Orchestra Concert
2025-06-20 18:30 - 20:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
For the past 10 years, Stas Venglevski has been the Artistic Director of the Houston Accordion Orchestra. He is bringing his group to Holy Wisdom Monastery in June for a retreat. They have so kindly offered to host a free concert for us on Friday, June 20 at 6:30 pm in the Assembly Room. Expect music by Danny Elfman, Russian and Japanese folk songs, original music by orchestra members, The Flight of the Bumblebee, and more …
We hope you can come!
Leader – Stas Venglevski
Stas Venglevski is a bayanist, composer, conductor, arranger, entertainer and a teacher and his extensive repertoire includes his original compositions and a broad range of classical, contemporary and ethnic music. He has toured extensively as a soloist throughout the former Soviet Union, Canada, Europe and the United States and most recently in South Africa. Numerous U.S. performances include performances with Doc Severinsen, Steve Allen and Garrison Keillor on the Prairie Home Companion Show. He has performed with symphony orchestras in Europe and throughout the United States, including the Anchorage, Grand Florida and Detroit symphony orchestras in the opera production of Frida, and with the University of Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra in 2003 for the official World Premiere of the Concerto No. 2 in D minor. It marked the first time the piece had been performed in its entirety with a symphony orchestra. He has performed the concerto on multiple occasions since, with the Tacoma, Colorado Jefferson and Racine symphony orchestras, and with that of Nurenberg, Germany. For over 25 years he has been a regular participant in the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s Arts in Community Education program (ACE). He’s done television commercials and performed in theater and opera productions; produced 31 recording albums, including a transcription of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite for Bayan, as well as original compositions. Additionally, he has published several books of original compositions. For the past 10 years he has been the Artistic Director of the Houston Accordion Orchestra Retreat and in 2021 he was named Artistic Director of A World of Accordions Museum (AWAM) in Superior, Wisconsin. He is a past President of the Accordionists and Teachers Guild and currently serves on its board. Most recently, he has joined the faculty of the Music Department of the University of Wisconsin, Superior, WI. In 2023, he established the Stas Venglevski Music Foundation, SVMF. The aim is to revolutionize the world of accordion by inspiring young people to embrace the fine arts, empowering them to create music, honing their performance skills as soloists and with orchestras, and giving them opportunities to compose and debut new music. In addition to the core mission, the foundation is committed to expanding public knowledge of art and music and supporting impactful cultural initiatives worldwide. In February of 2025, Stas performed at the prestigious Carnegie Hall.
Register
Please register by June 19, 2025.

Beyond Imagination: Community Art Exhibit Opening Reception
2025-07-27 10:30 - 12:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Join us on Sunday, July 27, 2025 for the opening reception of Beyond Imagination the newest art exhibit at Holy Wisdom Monastery. This exhibit features artwork by Holy Wisdom community members using techniques including painting, batik, stained glass, colored pencil, weaving, pastels, photography and block and monotype prints. In 2024, 28 people from a variety of monastery communities, had their work in the exhibit.
The opening reception will be held after Sunday Assembly worship, from 10:30 am – noon. Artists will be available to speak with attendees about their work. Light refreshments will be provided by the artists.
The exhibit will be on display from July 27 – September 20, 2025. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm (excluding holidays) and Sunday, 10:00 – 11:00 am.
Register
Please register so we have enough refreshments.

Midwest Memoir Art Exhibit Reception
2025-10-03 18:00 - 20:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Michael Knapstein is pleased to share his latest work, Midwest Memoir, with Holy Wisdom Monastery. His goal is to document and immortalize the people and places that define the American Midwest before they vanish. Michael said, “I hope the images in this series which embrace themes of memory, loss, history, heritage, rural identity and sense of place, will resonate with the viewers.” Michael has generously offered to give away one of his photos at the opening reception!

Schedule
6:00 pm – Reception begins. Light refreshments will be served by the artist
6:30 pm – Michael will share his thoughts about his latest work and answer questions
8:00 pm – Reception ends

Artist – Michael Knapstein

Photographer Michael Knapstein is counted among ‘14 Inspiring American Artists’ by Skillshare and Feature Shoot. His photographs have been featured in more than 325 exhibits in a variety of museums, galleries and festivals in 23 countries on five continents. He has received numerous awards, and his work is included in many public, private and corporate collections.

The exhibit is on display in the Monastery Gathering Area from September 23 – November 2, 2025. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm (excluding holidays) and Sunday 10:00 – 11:00 am.

Registration
Please register by September 26, 2025, in order to have enough refreshments. Thank you!

Indigenous Art: A Local's Perspective & Friends of Wisdom Prairie Annual Meeting
2025-11-06 17:00 - 20:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Please join the Friends of Wisdom Prairie for their annual meeting, which brings people together to recognize and celebrate land stewardship at Holy Wisdom Monastery. The keynote presentation will be given by Melanie Tallmadge Sainz and is titled ‘Indigenous Art: A Local’s Perspective.’ The program also includes refreshments and dinner.
Schedule

5:00 pm – Refreshments and mingling
6:00 pm – Dinner
6:45 pm – Friends of Wisdom Prairie Annual Meeting
7:00 pm – Melanie Tallmadge Sainz presents on local Indigenous art
8:00 pm – Q&A and wrap up

Speaker – Melanie Tallmadge Sainz

Melanie is Founding Director of Little Eagle Arts Foundation (LEAF), a Native-led nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the arts and culture of Native people of the Western Great Lakes. She is an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation who grew up in the Wisconsin Dells. Melanie will share about what influences her personal art-making process as well as provide information about her foundation.

(Photo courtesy of Kevin Miyazaki)

Cost
$40/person
Registration
Please register by October 30, 2025.
There is no refund for cancellations, but registrations are transferable.

Beyond the Bloom Art Exhibit Reception
2025-11-14 18:00 - 20:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Maron Massey’s exhibit of acrylic paintings on canvas at Holy Wisdom is a perfect fit with the mission of caring for the earth. Maron said, “my work is inspired by nature. Some of the paintings in this exhibit reflect time spent here at the monastery.” Maron wants people to be drawn in by her color palette first and then by the image. By using all the colors found in nature, she hopes her work will take people out of their daily concerns and recall what is really important.
Schedule
6:00 pm – Reception opens
6:30 pm – Maron will share her thoughts about her work and answer questions
8:00 pm – Reception concludes
Light refreshments will be provided by the artist.
Artist – Maron Massey
Maron Massey’s work can be found throughout the Madison area. She has 14 paintings in the permanent collection at Epic, the University of Wisconsin purchased three for their new eastside clinic and she recently completed 10 murals and 30 paintings for a downtown condominium association.

The exhibit is on display in the Monastery Gathering Area from November 5, 2025 – February 3, 2026. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm (excluding holidays) and Sunday 10:00 – 11:00 am.
Registration
Please register by November 7, 2025, in order to have enough refreshments.

Middleton High School Choir Holiday Concert
2025-12-11 12:30 - 13:30 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
All are welcome to join us for a joyful concert performed by the Middleton High School Choir on Thurs., Dec. 11, 2025, from 12:30-1:00 pm at Holy Wisdom Monastery. Each year the choir offers a multitude of mini concerts throughout the Middleton community and especially looks forward to coming to Holy Wisdom Monastery for the great audience, acoustics and cookies!
Help fill the assembly room and be surrounded by beautiful sounds of the season. Plus, join us after for cookies, hot beverages and fellowship. Bring your friends and enjoy this short break from your holiday preparations.
Register

REAP Chili Cook-off: A Showdown of Local Flavors
2026-01-15 17:00 - 19:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Join us for our first ever chili cook-off featuring acclaimed chefs Evan Dannells, Dan Marek and Felipe Saint-Martin. Each chef will prepare a unique chili dish featuring local ingredients sourced from their favorite local farmers. Guests will then vote to crown the chili champion. All proceeds from the event benefit REAP’s mission to build a resilient local food system.
Schedule
5:00 pm – Welcome & meal and voting begin
6:15 pm – Farmers highlighted
6:30 pm – Voting ends
7:00 pm – Event ends & winning chef crowned
Chefs

Evan Dannells
Hailing from Kansas, Chef Evan Dannells moved to Madison in 2002 to pursue his culinary career in a community rich with farm-fresh ingredients. Evan cooked at L’Etoile, 4&20 Cafe & Bakery, Merchant, and Lucille before joining the Cadre team prior to their October 2019 reopening. As an owner, Evan developed Cadre through his love of French cooking with a Wisconsin flair that allowed him to celebrate the seasonal ingredients and dedicated farmers that originally drew him to the Madison area.

Dan Marek
Dan Marek is a pioneering plant-based culinary expert who has helped revolutionize global cooking education. As Director of Program Strategy and Curriculum Development at Rouxbe Online Culinary School, he leads the creation of cutting-edge programs, including the Plant-Based Professional, Blue Zone’s, and Jacques Pepin courses. With over a decade of expertise, his background includes founding Plant Based Only Catering, educating thousands as a Healthy Eating Specialist at Whole Foods Market, and designing the Healthy Staff Program for Whole Kids Foundation, which reached over 38,000 teachers. A contributor to the Wicked Healthy Cookbook and The Whole Foods Cookbook, Dan actively champions sustainable food systems through board positions with organizations like REAP Food Group and Slow Food Austin.

Felipe Saint-Martin
Felipe Saint-Martin is the esteemed Culinary Director and Chef de Cuisine at Holy Wisdom Monastery in Middleton, Wisconsin, where he infuses Benedictine hospitality with innovative, sustainable cuisine. Originally from Brazil, Felipe’s culinary journey began in the vibrant kitchens of Rio de Janeiro before he immigrated to the United States, embracing new challenges with resourcefulness and perseverance. His career spans renowned establishments, including Claude Trois Gros Brasserie and Laguioli Lab in Brazil, and in New York City, where he refined his craft at acclaimed restaurants such as Gramercy Tavern and Eataly Market. In these fast-paced, Michelin-starred kitchens, Felipe mastered the art of blending bold flavors with refined techniques, working with top-tier chefs to create unforgettable dining experiences. Now at Holy Wisdom Monastery, Felipe crafts meals that celebrate the earth’s bounty, drawing from the monastery’s 130-acre restored prairie and gardens to create dishes that nourish body and spirit.

Cost
$25/person
Register
Registration takes place through REAP with the button below. Please register by Jan. 15, 2026. There are no refunds for cancellations.

Hidden Glimmers: Weaving Contemplative Photography and Haiku Art Exhibit Reception
2026-03-13 18:00 - 20:00 | WI
Sandy Wojtal-Weber and David McKee have known each other since the early 1990s and are pleased to share how their artistic endeavors in the visual and written word come together in this exhibit. Hidden Glimmers: Weaving Contemplative Photography and Haiku is a collaboration of their individual talents.
Event Schedule

6:00 pm – Reception opens
6:30 pm – Sandy and David will share their thoughts about their work, collaboration, and answer questions
8:00 pm – Reception concludes

Light refreshments will be provided by the artists.
Artists – Sandy Wojtal-Weber and David McKee

Sandy Wojtal-Weber is a professional fine arts photographer and retired clinical social worker. She founded ‘On the Borderline Project,’ a self-esteem building photography program for adolescent girls which ran for 10 years in Madison earning her the ‘North Star Community Award’ for outstanding contributions to the Northside community of Madison, WI. She currently teaches a contemplative photography program through UW Health Mindfulness Program. She has exhibited her work extensively in Madison and at the Chicago Field Museum.

David McKee is a haiku poet and retired psychotherapist living in Madison. He is an oblate of Holy Wisdom Monastery and serves as lead shepherd for the Oblate formation program. His haiku have been published in various journals including Modern Haiku, Frogpond, Acorn, Kingfisher, Bones, Presence and Password. His work has also been anthologized in a variety of publications and he was invited to join a group of 17 haiku poets in sharing large selections of their haiku in the ‘New Resonance’ series published by Red Moon Press.

Hidden Glimmers: Weaving Contemplative Photography and Haiku Exhibit
The exhibit is on display in the Monastery Gathering Area from February 4 – May 5, 2026. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm (excluding holidays) and Sunday 10:00 – 11:00 am.
Registration
Please register for the art exhibit reception by March 6, 2026, in order to have enough refreshments.

Madre Tierra Art Exhibit Reception
2026-05-29 18:00 - 20:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
In Holy Wisdom’s newest exhibit, Madre Tierra, artist Issis Macias invites viewers into an intimate, contemplative encounter with the natural world. Rooted in Macias’s cultural lineage – and in the Indigenous and Latin American understanding of Madre Tierra as a living presence and source of ancestral wisdom – the Spanish title affirms a matrilineal thread and an inheritance of strength, intuition and reverence for the land. Please join us for the opening reception of this exhibit of abstract art which echoes the shifting rhythms of sea, sky and earth through layers of pigments, sweeping gestures and spontaneous pastel markings.
Schedule
6:00 pm – Reception opens
6:30 pm – Issis will talk about her work and answer questions
8:00 pm – Reception ends
Light refreshments will be provided by the artist.
Artist – Issis Macias
Issis Macias is a self-taught artist and the daughter of Mexican immigrants. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Issis moved to the Madison area in 2016 where she continued her exploration of intuitive abstract art. Issis was named the 2025 Latina Artist of the Year and received the 2024 Micaela Salinas Artist Fellowship sponsored by Latinos Organizing for Understanding and Development.

The exhibit is on display in the Monastery Gathering Area from May 6 – July 7, 2026. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm (excluding holidays) and Sunday 10:00 – 11:00 am.
Registration
Please register by May 28, 2026, in order to have enough refreshments.

Expressions Community Art Exhibit Reception
2026-07-26 10:00 - 12:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Join us on Sunday, July 26, 2026 for the opening reception of Expressions, the newest art exhibit at Holy Wisdom Monastery. This exhibit celebrates the artistic talent of people actively involved with the monastery including members of Sunday Assembly, Oblates, Friends of Wisdom Prairie, Social Justice, Retreatants, Coworkers, Volunteers and Donors.
The 2-dimensional pieces chosen by the Art Jury include work in acrylics, oil and cold wax, art quilts, pastels, photography, watercolor, relief and gel plate printing, wood, collage, fiber arts, and mixed media. Twenty-six artists are participating in this exhibit.
Schedule

Sunday Assembly Worship (optional): 9:00-10:00 am – Monastery Assembly Room
Expressions Community Art Exhibit Reception: 10:15-11:30 am – Monastery Gathering Area

Artists will be available to speak with attendees about their work. Light refreshments will be provided by the artists.
The exhibit is on display in the Monastery Gathering Area from July 8 – Sep. 20, 2026. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm (excluding holidays) and Sunday 10:00 – 11:00 am.
Registration
Registration is not necessary for this event and all are welcome. The opening reception will take place after Sunday Assembly and is free to attend.

Be Still Art Exhibit Reception
2026-10-02 18:00 - 20:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Join us for the opening reception of artist David Mngodo’s exhibit, Be Still, at Holy Wisdom Monastery on Friday, October 2, 2026 from 6:00-8:00 pm. Mngodo is a self-taught artist whose abstract paintings in acrylics invite the observer to see things we encounter every day in a brand-new way. When painting animals and birds, his use of color and negative space tell a story and evoke deep feelings for the subject. Light refreshments will be served at the reception and David will talk about his art at 6:30 pm.
Schedule

6:00 pm – Reception opens. Light refreshments are available and the artist is available for conversation
6:30 pm – David Mngodo will talk about his art and participants are welcome to ask questions
8:00 pm – Receptions ends.

The exhibit is on display in the Monastery Gathering Area from September 22, 2026 – November 18, 2026. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm (excluding holidays) and Sunday 10:00 – 11:00 am.
About the Artist – David Mngodo
Artist David Mngodo was born in Tanzania and moved to the U.S. in 1999. Although he is largely self-taught, David graduated from the School of Design and Technology through Collins College in Tempe, Arizona, and an art Instructional school in Minnesota. In addition to being an artist, David is a senior pastor for East Wind Ministries based in DeForest, and is earning his Masters degree in ministry in N2N University in Harlingen, Texas.
Registration
This event is free to attend. We ask that interested participants please register by October 2nd so we may plan accordingly.
