Daniel P. Finney

dafinney@dmreg.com

The Google Doodle for Thursday celebrates what would have been the 96th birthday of Iowa-born artist Sister Mary Corita Kent.

Born Frances Elizabeth Kent in Fort Dodge, her family eventually settled in Los Angeles. She entered the Roman Catholic order of Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. She spent most of her life there as an artist and teacher.

A silkscreen print maker, Kent used bright colors and typography to communicate messages of faith, hope and love. She sometimes put a twist on corporate logos and slogans and turned them into spiritual art. Her work was particularly popular during the 1960s social upheavals.

Kent was one of the first nuns to wear casual street clothes as she carried out her duties and was often criticized by conservative Catholics. She left the order in 1968, moved to Boston and opened a gallery. She lived there until her death from cancer in 1986. Among her final projects, Kent designed the 1985 "Love" stamp for the U.S. Postal service.

The Google Doodle is temporary alteration of the company's logo on its homepage that celebrates holidays, events, achievements and people. To read more about Kent, visit her Famous Iowans profile.

DANIEL P. FINNEY, The Register's Metro Voice columnist, is a Drake University alumnus who grew up in Winterset and east Des Moines. Reach him at 515-371-9453 or dafinney@dmreg.com. Twitter: @newsmanone.