Sarah Sprouse is an art educator and visual artist from the greater Seattle area. Her work can be found in the permanent collections of the University of Montana, the City of Spokane, and Edmonds College. Sarah has ten years of experience as a teaching artist and in programmatic design, including leading art programming in urban spaces, immersive residential experiences, camps, and publicly funded institutions. Holding an MA in Art History and Art Education from Azusa Pacific University, Sarah is passionate about creative collaboration and facilitating spaces for all to experience the transformative power of art.

Shan (b. 2000, United States) received a B.F.A in painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah, GA) in 2022. She works with acrylic media as well as sculptural and functional ceramics. Shan exhibits her work in group exhibitions nationally. She has worked as an Education and Curatorial Intern at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (Washington, DC) to develop new educational resources. Her most recent exhibitions include The Figure: In Passing, in the spring of 2022 and GROWTH: Sculpting Memories, in the summer of 2022, both in Savannah, GA. She is currently living and working in Plain, Washington.

Jennifer learned about the Guild many years ago when volunteering with her family at Holden Village. She signed up for a summer class at the Guild in 2021, and later that summer she began as a remote employee of the Guild.

Prior to working for the Guild, Jennifer worked as an administrator for a Lutheran congregation. Other positions she has held include birth doula, survivor’s advocate, horse trainer, defense attorney administrator, and, for some reason, a fishing hotline operator. Jennifer’s volunteer work has also varied, and includes horse care for a horse-therapy organization, children and youth ministry, patient advocate and educator at a family planning clinic, and community radio show host.

Jennifer attended Augsburg University where she focused on choir, theater, and global education. She earned a BA in American Studies and Women’s Studies at St. Cloud State University and an MSW (Master of Social Work) with an administrative focus from the University of Utah.

Jennifer lives in Portland, Oregon, with her partner of over 30 years. Together they have two amazing children, three demanding cats, one smart dog, and a small flock of chickens.

Gloria’s affiliation with the Grünewald Guild began in 2005, when she attended her first class as a chaperone for her seven year old son, who wanted to take enameling. Many years and classes have passed, her two children have grown to become an artist and a craftsman, and Gloria has served as volunteer, board member, and staff at the Guild. Hired by Brian Johnson to assume a development role following the successful capital campaign for the cabin, Gloria ended up serving 6 months as the interim director following Brian’s sudden departure. After 2 years away, she is happy to step back into a role that she views as fundamentally about building community, and is eager to engage that community’s support for a place where artists can embrace the sacred and all people can claim their creative birthright.

Gloria spent many years in research oncology and hospice as a nurse, and yet considers motherhood the best job – and education – of her life. A lifelong Lutheran Christian, her faith has been deeply shaped by Ignatian practices and invitations into the natural world from St. Francis to Robin Wall Kimmerer. She longs for a world transformed.

Britta Koenen (she/her) originally hails from the Twin Cities, Minnesota.  After graduating from Saint Olaf College in 2020 with a double major in Gender/Women’s Studies and Biology, Britta has lived around the world and participated in a number of different communities and service organizations.  Most recently, she spent a year in Palestine with the ELCA’s Young Adults in Global Mission where she worked as a teaching assistant and kindergarten teacher.  Before that, she spent time working both as an immigration case worker with the Saint Joseph Worker Program in Minneapolis and as a Head Cook at Holden Village.

Creatively, Britta identifies bread-baking as her primary artistic medium – sourdough, specifically.  Why the Guild?  There aren’t many spaces she’s found in the world where creative expression sits at the center of a tight-knit and values-driven community.  While at the Guild, she’s excited to explore more methods of creative expression while feeding staff and guest alike.

Devan (he/him) grew up in the midwest, spending most of his life in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area of Minnesota.  A graduate of Concordia College Moorhead, he’s lived in a variety of settings and has a diverse professional background – including four unique years living in northern India working as a dorm supervisor at Woodstock School.  Most recently, he’s spent time working in facilities and operations at both Wilderness Canoe Base (in northern Minnesota) and at Holden Village (in central Washington).  Devan is looking forward to spending the next year at the Grünewald Guild as Facilities Associate, partaking in its community, seeking personal growth, and sharing in the joys and challenges of life together.

An avid outdoors person, Devan has enjoyed living in the WA Cascades – it is where he learned some of the basics of mountaineering and skiing, two pastimes he actively and enthusiastically pursues.  When he isn’t outside at the Guild, he’s probably outside somewhere!