Detroit — It is a small art exhibit, but the care put forth in assembling it shows the appreciation for what the late artist brought to the Solanus Casey Center in Detroit.

Bro. Leo Wollenweber, OFM Cap., passed away Oct. 9, 2012, and in honor of the one-year anniversary of his death, his brother friars decided to display his extensive artwork made throughout his life.

The exhibit, which was made available for viewing during the months of October and November, features a diverse array of Bro. Wollenweber’s artwork, numbering more than 20 pieces.

Bro. Wollenweber was vice-postulator for the cause of Venerable Fr. Solanus Casey, a position now jointly held by Fr. Larry Webber, OFM Cap., director of the Solanus Casey Center, and Bro. Richard Merling, director of the Father Solanus Guild.

“He had a great love for art before he came into the order,” Fr. Webber said of Bro. Wollenweber. “He was a very cultured man. When we visited him [when he was getting older] he used to sit and read and memorize Shakespeare.”

Fr. Webber explained that Bro. Wollenweber gave much of his early artwork to his family, and many of those pieces are being loaned to the center for the exhibit.

The pieces include oil paintings, watercolor paintings, clay molds, cement pieces — including a cement statue of the Blessed Mother — wood carvings, stained glass and charcoal sketches.

“He made the stations of the cross for our retreat house in Washington, Mich.,” Fr. Webber said. “He also drew the head of God the Father from the Sistine Chapel in charcoal.”

Fr. Webber said the large statue of St. Francis in front of St. Bonaventure Monastery on Mount Elliott Street was constructed by artist Frank Vargas, but came from an original, smaller sculpture by Bro. Wollenweber.

Bro. Wollenweber also enjoyed photography, which Fr. Webber said can be seen extensively in the book “I Remember … Photographic Memories of Brother Leo Wollenweber, ofm Capuchin.”

“He was a very gentle, quiet soul,” Fr. Webber said. “He never had an exhibit while he was alive; many people are surprised that he was gifted in art.”

“I think he discovered God in the beauty of it,” Fr. Webber added.