Our congregation has created an art gallery in our main gathering space (known as Pilgrim Hall). We are pleased to display work from various artists in our community and beyond. We feel blessed to be surrounded by these beauty and spiritually meaningful creations. We welcome inquiries from artists about showing your work.
Coming Up: Phil Eckherts’s “Public Spaces, Special Places”
Phil writes:
My interest in photography blossomed around 1970 when I purchased my first 35mm camera and began taking black and white photos. I took classes in photo composition, lighting and camera techniques, film development and photo printing. Soon thereafter I established my first home dark room. Over the years I have developed a particular interest in natural and urban landscapes.
I have titled this exhibit at First Congregational Church, Public Spaces, Special Places. The photographs included in this exhibit were taken on public land and capture scenes of special interest to me: mountains, waterfalls, deserts, canyons as well as urban landscapes. Many of the images will be familiar to Minnesotans: North Shore settings, the Bandshell at Lake Harriet, the State Fair and the Nicollet Mall. Other images are from remote natural locations ranging from the redwood forests of the northwest, the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and as far east as Quebec City, Canada. Each of these photographs is a visual memory for me and is paired with a cognitive memory of the experience of being there and the people who shared it with me.
The photographs in this exhibit are printed on different surfaces: fine art paper, canvas and aluminum. Each surface has been chosen for its characteristics that I believe will most effectively present each image. Several images are also described as “digitally enhanced”, meaning I have used digital tools to modify the appearance of the final image to achieve desired effects, usually to enhance texture or create softer, semi-abstract appearances.
I was born and raised in Buffalo, NY and graduated from Florida State University. I subsequently earned Masters degrees in Social Work and Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. I was professionally employed by Hennepin County throughout my career where I served as Director of the Planning and Development, Environmental Services and Housing, Community Works and Transit departments. I retired in 2017.
“Public Spaces, Special Places” will open at First Church on Sunday, September 7. Additional photographs may be viewed on Instagram @pceckhert.
Here are some of the exhibits we have hosted in past years:
- Life-size puppets created by children in the First Church community for the production of “Joseph’s Colorful Coat”
- Photographs of church towers from around the world by Don Loegering
- Minneapolis Public School exhibit of students’ artwork depicting “What Is Home to Me?” focusing on issues of affordable housing and homelessness
- Serigraphs with religious themes by John August Swanson
- Hooked art (textiles) by rug hooking artists Tish Murphy, Joan LeVine and Kathy Morton Mulvain
- Nature photographs and poetry by Bob Ochtrup, photographer, and Jeff Wolvertine, poet
- Watercolor paintings by Ann and Wayne Sisel
- Nature prints by Jan Shogren
- Favorite art pieces from the First Church community
- Watercolors and pastels by Walter Breckenridge
- Exhibit of prints by 21 different artists inspired by the poem “Laughing Bear” by Katherine Tilton, which is about domestic abuse. “The Laughing Bear Portfolio” was the inspiration of Diane Eicher who is also one of the artists. First Church also hosted a fundraiser for the St. Paul Domestic Abuse Intervention Project.
- Abstract paintings in oils and acrylics and pencil drawings by Amy Smith
- Watercolors and sketches by Soon-Wai Wong.
- Paintings by Jill Stebbins
- Batik by Kim Gordon
- Brian Poulton’s water paintings and photographs