Published intermittently by the Immaculate Heart College art department from 1956 - 1963, the “irregular bulletin” was a newsletter edited by the inimitable Sister Magdalen Mary, announcing the various activities and accomplishments of the students and faculty, including Corita, who succeeded Sister Magdalen Mary as head of the art department. So what was it, you ask? The “irregular bulletin” was initially comprised of a few pages of printed paper announcing departmental news, but it then quickly evolved into a longer and broader publication, with a distinct graphic style that in many ways presaged the formation of contemporary zines.
In this video, we hear from Juliette Bellocq and Hermine Lees, two women who collect the “irregular bulletin” and appreciate the unique creativity and ideas of Sister Magdalen Mary. Juliette Bellocq is a graphic designer who runs Handbuilt Studio, a practice dedicated to design for education, culture and activism. She designed the Immaculate Heart Community’s “irregular bulletin”-inspired 2019 Annual Report. Hermine Lees is a member of the Immaculate Heart Community. When asked to describe her relationship to Sister Magdalen Mary, she wrote, “a devoted student, sincere friend and caring helper in all her wild and wonderful endeavors.”
Thanks to a grant from California Revealed, all issues of the “irregular bulletin” will soon be digitized. Stay tuned for details.
Corita Art Center is a project of the Immaculate Heart Community. Read their 2019 Annual Report, inspired by the “irregular bulletin,” here.