Core Staff
Brian T. Johnson joined the Guild community as director in January 2021. Brian, a Lutheran pastor, liturgical scholar, and university administrator, brings experience serving in congregations, seminaries, and higher education institutions with focused interest and expertise in the fine arts. [Read more...]
Gray Lyons is a photographer and installation artist whose work addresses themes of memory, history, sexuality and self. She has received degrees from Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Savannah College of Art and Design and Towson University. [Read more...]
Linda Lyons is an artist and educator. Linda joined the Guild staff as Office Manager in January 2020. She received her MFA in photography from Savannah College of Art and Design and she currently embraces interdisciplinary practices in her making. In all roles of life, Linda is committed to inclusiveness, diversity, and kindness. [Read more...]
Grünewald Guild Founders
Richard Caemmerer, Jr., Director Emeritus (In Memoriam)
Richard co-founded the Guild with his wife Liz in 1980, after having chaired the Art Department at Valparaiso University and designed hundreds of worship spaces around the world. Richard left this life peacefully on February 16, 2016 with his family at his side. His vision for the church, the Guild, and his prolific artwork continue to inspire people all over the world. More can be learned about Rich and his work here.
Liz Caemmerer, Director Emeritus (In Memoriam)
Liz graduated from the Shalem Institute’s program in Spiritual Direction in 2006 in Baltimore, Maryland – a two-year study in contemplative spirituality with an interfaith faculty and community. Liz was a member of Spiritual Directors International. Family life and studies gave her a strong background in biblical studies and prayer and interfaith communities. As co-founder of the Grunewald Guild she had the privilege of growing with this community of creativity and faith for 36 years, enriched by the environment of seekers in creativity and spirituality and surrounded by the presence of Love in all creation.
Board of Directors
President – Laurie Rudel
Vice-President – Erik Hanberg
Secretary – Liv Larson Andrews
Treasurer – Cheryl Branz
Mark Bach
Gloria Winters
Mary McLeod
Jan Hartley
Rebecca Sinclair
Susan Kintner
Chris Cornelius
Expectations for Board Members
Questionnaire for Prospective Board Members
Guild Masters
Early in the life of the Guild, founders Richard and Liz Caemmerer became aware of the international significance of the art of Sadao Watanabe. Rich and Liz had received calendars and prints with his woodblock art from friends living in Tokyo.
We saw the work of an artist who, largely on his own,
was connecting the Gospel to his culture. ~Rich
The creative-edge spirit of Watanabe’s work resonated with the Guild’s mission. To honor this connection, Watanabe was named an Honorary Guild Artist. Rich and Liz presented a small stained glass piece to him in Japan. It was a life-changing experience for them to see his humble studio and meet his wife who packed and mailed his work all over the world.
The title of “Guild Master” continues to honor the artists who, through their life, faith and work, exemplify what the Grünewald Guild seeks to embody in the world.
Jean Tudor has been enameling for 55+ years, and is "beginning to have a glimmer of what it is all about." [Read more...]
An expert with the rare medium of clay paper sculpture, Ruthie has taught at the Guild every summer since its inception. Ruthie demonstrates the grace, skill and humble spirit of the Guild mission wherever she goes. [Read more...]
Sandy exemplified a level of excellence in liturgical art that helps bridge the gap between the Church and the arts, with a rare quality that is uniquely her own. [Read more...]
A truly unique painter and illustrator, particularly of the rich history of saints, Brother Mickey brings beauty and mirth to everything he touches. [Read more...]
A rare spirit, both in the art of calligraphy and in his life, Alan has demonstrated the wonderful balance of being a master of his craft and a warm, nutty and accessible spirit that we hope to maintain forever at the Guild. [Read more...]
Watanabe was famous for his biblical prints rendered in the mingei (folk art) tradition of Japan. He lived a life of humble excellence, bringing together fine craftsmanship and a unique expression of story that serves as an inspiration to what we hope the Guild to be. [Read more...]
Rich and Liz founded the Guild, and infused it with their vision, warmth, mirth and love for history and culture that continues to pervade the Guild as we move into the future. [Read more...]
As co-founder of the Grunewald Guild, Liz has had the privilege of growing with this community of creativity and faith for 32 years, enriched by the environment of seekers in creativity and spirituality and surrounded by the presence of Love in all creation. [Read more...]
Scottie's first love is ceramics, and he has taught ceramics and exhibited his artwork internationally. His other passions include bread-making, beer brewing, and traditional Asian teas. [Read more...]
Faculty
The Grünewald Guild is indebted to the generous faculty members who come and give their time, passion and expertise year after year.
Adele incorporates her passion for art and spiritual practice in her visual explorations of the rhythms of daily life. [Read more...]
Amardev is a philosopher at heart. Specifically, he is fascinated by the philosophy of the creative process, which is what he explored for his BA and Masters. [Read more...]
Anne is a multi-disciplinary artist and maker of things with a passion for nature. After nearly two decades in academia studying science, she realized she needed to make art with the rest of her life. [Read more...]
Born in the Caribbean city of Barranquilla, Araujo joined the Colombian Province of the Society of Jesus in 1987. He earned a degree in Philosophy and a master in Divinity from Javeriana University in Bogotá Colombia. [Read more...]
Bethany Wray is a visual artist who mainly works in watercolors. Bethany's current work focuses on painting the landscapes and adventures that take place in the wild spaces of both the PNW and other areas across the country. [Read more...]
Brian lives and works near Portland, Oregon as a designer, facilitator, and refiner of experiences. [Read more...]
Bonnie's ongoing journey to co-create with Spirit along with her passion for color, texture, nature, and sacred geometry inspires and informs her work - whether woven, drawn/painted, or written. [Read more...]
Brittany Deininger is a poet who is committed to helping individuals use language, art, and story as meaning-making tools in the human task of becoming. [Read more...]
Carla has been teaching at the Guild for more than 20 years! For 40+ years, she has been a professional artist and teacher, working with people of all ages. She has taught mandala construction for 30 years. [Read more...]
Carla Orlando is the Lead director of the Seattle Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life retreat. Carla teaches and counsels students at Seattle University and Seattle Pacific University. [Read more...]
Chuck Kirchner is a photographer and workshop leader based in Tucson, Arizona. His subjects include rituals, dance, spirituality, and world cultures. [Read more...]
Courtney Rutzer is a mixed media artist, primarily working in acrylic paint and embroidery floss on raw canvas. She is interested in creating work that encourages the formation of holistic community— encouraging imaginative, restorative and relational engagement. [Read more...]
Deborah Adams Doering is an artist and educator based in New York City. She has taught a number of classes at the Grunewald Guild since 1999, most recently in tandem with her artistic partner (and husband) Glenn N. Doering. [Read more...]
DOEprojekts is a socially-engaged artist collaborative practice led by Deborah Adams Doering and Glenn N. Doering. [Read more...]
Eloiese Krabbenhoft has over 40 years experience teaching art at all levels from kindergarten through college to senior citizens and is now retired from teaching art education at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. [Read more...]
Fernando is a liturgist, calligrapher, and practical theologian. He is an assistant professor at Regis University in Denver, CO. He studied Latino/a Pastoral Theology at San Francisco Theological Seminary. [Read more...]
A Northwest artist, Gail works in many different mediums. Work for her is about the environment and her spiritual connection to it. [Read more...]
Gena Davis is an ordained Episcopal priest, the founder of YogaMass, a spiritual director, and a yoga educator certified in Nosara Yoga and Pralaya Yoga with advanced certification in the Integrative Method of Amrit Yoga Nidra(TM). [Read more...]
Gill C. Sakakini is an artist and teacher. She has been a regular faculty member at the Grunewald Guild and has taught at Carey Theological College, Vancouver. Gill is now training to be a priest in the Church of England. [Read more...]
Although trained and educated in the sciences with a BS and MS in Biology, jewelry designer Glenn Doering always had a creative side. [Read more...]
Gray is a photographer and installation artist whose work addresses themes of memory, history and storytelling. [Read more...]
Jan's work has been recognized by Dirty Linen, Image Journal, CCM Magazine, The Detroit News, The Chicago Sun Times, and other publications around the country. She has won numerous awards for her work and has taught songwriting workshops around the country. [Read more...]
Jan Richardson is an artist, writer, and ordained minister in the United Methodist Church. She serves as director of The Wellspring Studio, LLC. [Read more...]
Jean Tudor has been enameling for 55+ years, and is "beginning to have a glimmer of what it is all about." [Read more...]
Jeanne Whitney has painted in watercolor since childhood and has studied it up and down to teach it for about 25. She has illustrated 20+ books, most in watercolor and pen and ink, done portraits, landscapes and abstracts in all medias. [Read more...]
Jessica Holleque is a self-taught photographer and ceramic artist in Minneapolis, MN. Raised in the rural mining region of northern Minnesota, she is continuously drawn to the connection of the human experience as related to the surrounding environment. [Read more...]
Jill has spent her life expressing the Spiritual through visual arts, movement and writing. During the past decade, she has integrated glass mosaics into her art practice through teaching the process. [Read more...]
Jillian Blackwell is an artist living in Denver, Colorado. She studied Ceramics at the University of Pennsylvania, and has specialized in creating hand-built pottery and sculpture. [Read more...]
John studied art as a printmaker at the University of North Dakota. His sculpting life began about thirty years ago, carving wood into dragons and ponies for the Missoula Carousel. [Read more...]
Fr. Josef Venker, SJ, MFA, a Jesuit priest, artist, and educator originally from St. Louis, Missouri currently teaches courses in printmaking, calligraphy, and ceramic at Seattle University. [Read more...]
Joy Studer is a Godly Play Missioner and has shared the work of Godly Play from the Pacific Northwest, to New England and as far south as Guatemala. [Read more...]
Kira Tippenhauer has a multidisciplinary practice of fine art and a design line under Kiramade based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, she was raised by architect/engineer father and kindergarten owner/director mother. She graduated from Miami International University of Art & Design (2011) with an MFA in Visual Arts. [Read more...]
Kristen Gilje is a full-time artist who works in her Bellingham WA studio on art commissions for sacred spaces. She makes large colorful works on silk for seasonal use, which can be seen in churches from coast to coast. [Read more...]
Larkin Jean Van Horn is a mixed-media textile artist working in the areas of art quilts, beadwork, 3-D fabric structures, and liturgical art. [Read more...]
Lanecia Rouse Tinsley is a multidisciplinary artist who specializes in abstraction. Her portfolio also includes a range of work in photography, painting, teaching, writing, and speaking. She is the owner and creator of LAR Art Studio and works primarily out of Hardy + Nance Street Studios in Houston, TX. [Read more...]
Calligraphy has been Laura Norton’s passion and joy for 30 years, having studied with many of the finest lettering artists in the world, participated in several international calligraphy conferences, and taught calligraphy in a variety of settings--working on silk, paper, walls & windows. [Read more...]
Laurie Rudel is ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and served as the pastor of Queen Anne Christian Church in Seattle for nearly 26 years before retiring at the end of February 2017. She is trained as a leader and teacher of InterPlay and as a Soul Collage facilitator. [Read more...]
Linda Lyons is an artist, educator, roller derby skater, and runner. She is originally from Maryland and she teaches at Indiana University South Bend. Linda is a lover of both the mountains and ocean. She is passionate about making, moving, and community. Some of her favorite things include old film cameras, tacos, photo booths, nature, carnivals, cabinets of curiosities, and Natural History Museums. Linda is a magnet for lost dogs and is excellent at making large alternative-process photographs and running very far. [Read more...]
As co-founder of the Grunewald Guild, Liz has had the privilege of growing with this community of creativity and faith for 37 years, enriched by the environment of seekers in creativity and spirituality and surrounded by the presence of Love in all creation. [Read more...]
Mary McLeod has been a calligrapher for over forty years, having first studied with master calligrapher and teacher Lloyd Reynolds, as well as other nationally and internationally known calligraphers. [Read more...]
Matthew Whitney is a multidisciplinary artist, educator, and pedestrian. He works between drawing, painting, photography, collage, video, performance, and group facilitation... [Read more...]
Michael is an exhibiting artist working primarily in wheel thrown and hand built work, He had some education in commercial art in college but has worked independently in his own studio with significant interest in RAKU. [Read more...]
Brother Mickey O’Neill McGrath, Oblate of St. Francis de Sales, is an artist, writer, and speaker who loves to explore the relationship between art and faith. [Read more...]
Michele Koger is an art therapist with Nesting Place Therapy in Twisp, WA, where she nurtures wholeness through experiential, creative therapies. [Read more...]
Paul's passion for architecture, art and liturgy all overlap in his work as a liturgical architect. [Read more...]
Rafael has over 15 years of professional photography and cinematography experience in the field and studio. He is currently the technical arts coordinator for Living Word Lutheran Church in Katy, Texas, where he produces weekly videos and manages all media-related tasks for the church. [Read more...]
Born in Pittsburgh and raised in Kentucky, Ron first came to the Guild as an intern in 2013. Ron was trained in painting but now considers sculptural ceramics to be his primary medium. [Read more...]
Rondall studied art and art history at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY where he received his M.F.A. and a Masters in art history. He is in the PhD program in Art & Religion at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. [Read more...]
Ruth has been an artist and educator for many years. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Valparaiso University and continued her education through Notre Dame, and traveled extensively thru Study/Travel Programs. [Read more...]
Sally Freed is an independent retreat facilitator and workshop leader, specializing in working with small groups. [Read more...]
Sara Nordling has an M.F.A. in studio art/textiles. The main focus in her work is weaving. During the school year Sara teaches art (drawing and painting) at Purdue University Fort Wayne. [Read more...]
Sarah received a BA from Stonehill College in North Easton, MA in 2007, relocating to Portland, Oregon shortly thereafter. She became imbued in the Northwest art scene as an artist and teacher. [Read more...]
"The world around me inspires both intense curiosity and profound reverence." Sarah Jane's creative responses have taken many forms, from installations and collaborative projects to sculptural pieces and mosaics. [Read more...]
Scott Burnett was born and raised in New York's Ulster County, between the Catskill Mountains and the Hudson River. He was influenced by the Woodstock arts community, and was particularly drawn to metal and clay work. [Read more...]
Scott's first love is ceramics, and he has taught ceramics and exhibited his artwork internationally. He other passions include bread-making, beer brewing, and traditional Asian teas. [Read more...]
The common thread of Suzanne's career in the arts has always been as a designer, maker, and instructor of woven fabrics. She is a charter member/owner of By Hand Gallery in Bloomington. [Read more...]
From a very early age, art (specifically writing) has played a very influential role in Tamisha Tyler's life, so it would come to no surprise that art would also play an important role in her faith. [Read more...]
Terry is an award winning art instructor with over thirty years of experience teaching both youth and adult students. He has a Masters degree in the Creative Arts from Lesley College in Cambridge, Mass. [Read more...]
Tom Lucas is a Jesuit priest, artist, and historian. He held the Caemmerer Chair and was Artist in Residence at the Guild in the Fall of 2019. [Read more...]
Trung Pham is a Vietnamese-born, Seattle-based artist, educator. He currently works as an assistant professor in the Art and Art History Department at the Seattle University. [Read more...]
Venice is the Executive Director of Alice's Garden Urban Farm and community Garden in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is also the Minister for The Table: a 1st-century-style community in the 21st century. [Read more...]
Vonda & Jim served as Guild directors from July 2016 to January 2021.. Vonda is a creative contemplative. Prior to the Guild, Jim had 28 years of professional experience in engineering and management within the energy and transportation sectors. [Read more...]
Jennifer Ballard (aka Yonnah Ben Levy) has been a working artist as well as a teacher for 47 years. [Read more...]