For over 30 years the Grünewald Guild has served as a creative and innovative example to the world of the transformative power of art and the sacred within the context of community. We are an ecumenical Christian community that embraces people of all journeys and traditions, serving as a sanctuary for their exploration of art, faith and the mystery of creation.
The vision for Grünewald Guild was born in the summers Richard and Liz Caemmerer and their children spent at Holden Village in the Cascade Mountains of Washington state. It was Holden's combination of community and the beautiful environment that inspired the planning of a similar program, but concentrating on the teaching, learning and practice of the relationship between art and faith.
In June of 1980, after much searching, a deserted grange hall on a wooded acre lot in the beautiful Plain Valley near Leavenworth, WA, was chosen as the site at which to begin building the Guild.
A generous and enthusiastic board of directors, made up of Joanne Klein, Alan Juhl, David Larsen, Bill Sornborger and Sam and Nathalie Brown, together with the Caemmerers, supervised the formation of the fledging not-for-profit organization and began renovating the grange hall.
In the following years, with a property gift from Carl and Vi Schmidt holding a one-room schoolhouse, as well as gifts of other adjoining properties purchased by David and Bev Larsen and Sam and Nathalie Brown, the Guild campus was formed.
Courses in art began within the first year and were held within the renovated grange hall. More courses were added to the curriculum so that today over 30 classes are taught each summer by teachers from across the country. The schoolhouse has become the Library, the Grange Hall our Centrum, and across our 16-acre campus are housing accommodations and art studios, the newest of which is the Fiber Arts Studio, one of the most beautiful buildings of its kind in the country.
The Guild's history has been one of hard work by many hands, enthusiasm and creativity beyond imagination, and growth that even now looks forward to new programs and additional facilities.