VISION
At Awaken, one of our core values is Beauty. We believe that God is inherently beautiful, and that beauty is a gift given to us to help us transcend and experience the Divine. Art and creative expression is an important avenue through which humanity experiences beauty, so we want to foster the creation of it in any way we can.
We also believe that every human was made in the image of a creative God, which makes us all creative! Thriving in our creative identities helps us create the culture we want and need - many times, it takes artful expression for our hearts to awaken to something our minds have trouble awakening to. Images, metaphors, melody lines, demonstration and story make us pause, consider deeper meanings, and enter into the transformative moment.
Sign up for our monthly newsletter to learn about events and opportunities to connect with other creatives. or follow us on Instagram to get a sense of what we’re about.
We also believe that every human was made in the image of a creative God, which makes us all creative! Thriving in our creative identities helps us create the culture we want and need - many times, it takes artful expression for our hearts to awaken to something our minds have trouble awakening to. Images, metaphors, melody lines, demonstration and story make us pause, consider deeper meanings, and enter into the transformative moment.
Sign up for our monthly newsletter to learn about events and opportunities to connect with other creatives. or follow us on Instagram to get a sense of what we’re about.
FOSTERING COMMUNITY FOR CREATIVES
Monthly Mingles
The first Thursday of every month at 7pm, we have a gathering called the Artist Mingle for any self-identified artist, art enthusiast, or (especially) those with an imposter-syndrome around art. This is an event for you to be seen and known as an artist, network with other creative types, and learn more about what other artists in the community are up to.
Book Groups
We vote on one book per season, and typically meet for 3–5 sessions per book.
Past books include:
Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin
The Hurting Kind by Ada Limón
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frank
Terraform: Building a Better World by Propaganda
Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Why I Wake Early by Mary Oliver
Past books include:
Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin
The Hurting Kind by Ada Limón
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frank
Terraform: Building a Better World by Propaganda
Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Why I Wake Early by Mary Oliver
Bi-Annual Retreats
We typically host a two day (Friday–Saturday) Fall Retreat, and a half day (Saturday) Spring Retreat, or a full day Summer Retreat. The 2024 Summer Retreat is scheduled for Saturday, July 20 from 9:00pm - 7:00pm. Topics covered have included: Creation & Chaos; Stories Behind the Art; Creativity and Mental Health, Enneagram, Art History, etc.
Winter Market
Over the years, Awaken has hosted an art fair during Advent so that artisans can sell their work and the Awaken community can support them while finding unique, lovely holiday gifts.
Advent Art Series
We invite artists (usually writers and visual artists) to create around the themes of Advent and share their work with the community.
Artist in Residence / Gallery Space
Our church building includes a gallery space which focuses on the themes of the liturgical season (Advent, Lent, etc.,) or features an Artist in Residence.
ARTISTS OF AWAKEN
Alyssa Whetstone
Alyssa is an artist who focuses on illustrations in pen and watercolor. She often depicts places that hold memories for her and others. Along with making art, Alyssa enjoys teaching watercolor to people of all a ges and experience levels. You can find her sharing her art and tutorials on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and her website.
Jenny Klukken
Jenny Klukken is a marimbist, composer and visual artist. On her marimba, she plays and writes music that combines her classical background with her passion world/jazz music. Her debut album releases in early 2021 and highlights her creative compositions, virtuosity on the marimba, and her improvisational skills The album features herself on marimba along with drums, bass, piano guitar, violin, and more.
Jenny is also a visual artist that uses fluid acrylics as her medium. Her abstract pieces are reflective of her passion for color and movement, much like her music.
Jenny is also a visual artist that uses fluid acrylics as her medium. Her abstract pieces are reflective of her passion for color and movement, much like her music.
Caleb Anderson
Caleb Anderson was born and raised in a small town in Central Minnesota, Caleb Anderson is a songwriter and music producer. His primary artistic focus is writing songs for his band, Aldrich. He dabbles in visual art direction.
Listen to his music here.
Instagram
Linktree
Listen to his music here.
Linktree
Greg Gilbert
Greg Gilbert is a hospice chaplain with Allina Hospice and a visual artist, working in sculpture, photography, and ink drawing. Greg holds a BFA in visual art from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, an MDiv from Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, an MA from Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, and is ordained through the Church Of Park Slope in Brooklyn, NY.
Greg enjoys creating art about a wide variety of subject from theological darkness through whimsical comics making light of his own struggles (and comedic moments from friends, family, and co-workers!). His primary commissions are for tree sculptures and comic biographies, recently completing a set of four memorial tree sculptures for Allina Hospice in St. Paul and having his comics illustrating the Misconceptions of Chaplaincy used in Spiritual Care departments in New Zealand and New Hampshire.
Website // Email
Greg enjoys creating art about a wide variety of subject from theological darkness through whimsical comics making light of his own struggles (and comedic moments from friends, family, and co-workers!). His primary commissions are for tree sculptures and comic biographies, recently completing a set of four memorial tree sculptures for Allina Hospice in St. Paul and having his comics illustrating the Misconceptions of Chaplaincy used in Spiritual Care departments in New Zealand and New Hampshire.
Website // Email
VANESSA LUCIUS
Interim Director of Art
For more information about our Artist Community contact vanessa@awakencommunity.com