Get to know the artists who are sponsors of the 2021 Festival!
Join these artists and more at the 2021 virtual Festival. Register today for the free option or upgrade now to premium access and exclusive workshops for only $75.
Chillon Leach
Chillon Leach is a professional self-employed artist from St. Paul, Minnesota and artist-in-residence at Immanuel Lutheran Church (ELCA) in St. Paul. She specializes in making hand painted church paraments, clergy stoles, and funeral palls for cremation urns and caskets. Leach also makes other artwork specific to faith communities’ needs. She creates acrylic paintings on canvas, mixed media artwork, and hand-drawn illustrations. Custom work is available.
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Cottonpatch Designs
Cottonpatch Designs specializes in enhancing sacred spaces through textile art, including vestments, paraments, and banners. Jenna Bruns is the artist/owner and works with all denominations, such as Lutheran, Episcopal, Methodist, Disciples of Christ, and Roman Catholic, to design and create unique pieces for specific worship communities. For custom pieces, Jenna starts with pencil and color artwork, receiving input from the client at every step. Most pieces are crafted using 100% high-quality cotton, machine appliqued, and quilted. In addition to cotton, she also works with dupioni silk, brocades, and linen. Jenna’s craftsmanship is superb and attention to detail is evident in every piece she creates. While custom work is Jenna’s forte, she also designs and creates stoles and banners that are readily available for purchase. These pre-designed pieces can be purchased through the Cottonpatch Designs website.
“My artwork is intended to enhance the beauty of the worship space (being created specifically for that space) and to provide a visual message for the worship experience. Broadly stated, the design elements and colors offer a visual interpretation of God’s love for all of us, although every individual connects with my art in their own way; through their own faith experiences.”
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Spirit of Creation: Pottery for the work of the Church
As a potter and a pastor, I make pottery for the work of the Church. All pottery is hand made by me in my studio in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. I create elegant solutions for offering communion, anointing and other rituals of the Church with these beautiful and practical liturgical ceramics. As a pastor, I know the desire to be with those we serve in a deep and meaningful communion of souls. I’m equally aware of the practical concerns that go with sharing Communion elements while juggling a Bible, cup, bread, and someone’s shaking hand. I am able to craft vessels that are beautiful, practical, and meaningful so that you can focus on serving the persons you visit. Combined with handy tote bags that have washable bottoms, serving cloths with cleanable backs, and all the tools that are needed for your visit, the pottery sets will serve you well for decades. The designs are inspired by signs of God’s power, love, and beauty in the natural world and human hearts: The cross, the blue waters of cleansing and nourishment, living symbols such as the woodland trillium flower, harmony and balance.
Many styles of Communion sets, anointing sets, finger labyrinths, prayer jars, visit cards, and symbolic necklaces round out my offerings. You bring symbols of the faith that can be seen and held to those you serve. Let Spirit of Creation help you in your work by providing the tools you need. Visit my website to see all of my offerings!
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Steeplebush Stoles
Steeplebush Stoles is the artistic collaboration of two long-time quilters and UCC “Church Ladies”. After years of seeing clergy wearing lackluster stoles, we decided to merge our quilting art with stole design. Thus began Steeplebush Stoles. Our love of quilting and fabric art shines through on every stole. Bright colors, intricate patterns, and precision “craft womanship” are evident in every piece we create. We make unique stoles geared to every color of a liturgical season. Most know the colors associated with the seasons but consider these additional options: orange to protest against gun violence, yellow to celebrate God’s light in the world, rainbow to celebrate we are open to all.
Steeplebush Stoles strives to give you the most for your dollar and create stoles which can be reversed. For example, a stole can have a rainbow on one side and purple or green on the other. It’s our way of saying thanks for the work you do. While you are dreaming of your new stole, we also offer: stoles for clergy class graduations, team stoles that are for specialty staff or camp clergy, coordinating co-pastor stoles, and reimagining a stole from a worn but still beloved stole. In addition, we offer altar cloths and banners for your church space. Our Stole-N-Go stoles are much smaller and perfect for purse or backpack so you are ready for hospital or home visits or a protest march. They come with a “Keep Clean” carry pouch.
We would love to help you create your dream stole. Leave it to Steeplebush Stoles.
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Interwoven: textiles for spirit and space
Anne Anderson is a textile artist whose work is focused on the design and creation of paraments, vestments, stoles, and banners that are filled with spirit, energy, and color. In 2006, Anne founded a company, Interwoven: textiles for spirit and space, and has extensive experience working with faith communities, pastors, and individuals. Interwoven’s beautifully crafted textiles bring a vibrant focus to the flow of worship and create a rich, visual environment in both traditional and contemporary settings.
Interwoven invites you to partner and explore the possibilities as we move through the seasons of color.
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