Past Exhibits

SHOW US YOUR GLORY 2023 - 2024

“Arise, shine, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” Isaiah 60:1 (NIV)

According to our gallery hosts, Show Us Your Glory was repeatedly revisited and enjoyed. We loved hearing that they would have liked to have kept it longer. This exhibition was deep and passionate, doing everything we want an exhibition to do, honoring Christ and inspiring people to worship our wonderful God!

IN GOD'S HANDS 2023 - 2024

THEME SCRIPTURE:

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Psalm 19:1 (NIV)     

FOCUS:

He’s here. Our God. The Most High Sovereign God Who never changes. 

We know our God will never desert or abandon us. We are safe in His love and His power.

He’s the One we look to and can count on, the One for Whom we were made. 

THE GOD WHO SEES 2022 - 2023

How do you seek God in a distracted world?

“Your Father Who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

Matthew 6:6 NIV

GOD OUR REFUGE 2021-2022

Documentary + Exhibit-30 Minute

Virtual Art Exhibit-10 Minute

During the 2020 COVID pandemic, we asked God how to proceed, considering we couldn’t offer an in-person gallery exhibit. Additionally, most churches were closed which temporarily limited traveling venues. After much prayer, we decided to produce our first documentary/virtual art exhibit about how our student artists experienced God in the pandemic. The result was truly beautiful, so much so that we submitted the film to Christian film festivals. To our great surprise and gratitude, “God Our Refuge Documentary and Virtual Art Exhibit” was selected and viewed at ten festivals all over the country. Not only did it get shown, it won four awards and many accolades for the inspirational stories.

The ten-minute virtual art exhibit video displays the art from “God Our Refuge” and portions of the artists’ experiences. Although it is much abbreviated from the documentary version, it still provides an overview of the amazing ways God met His people during the COVID 19 pandemic.

 

HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD 2020-2021

Twenty-four high school artists from five local schools were featured in our collaborative exhibit called “How Great Is Our God!” This 2020 exhibit followed the well-received 2019 exhibit, “Who Is God?”, that was displayed in local churches and schools throughout 2019 and in January-February of 2020.

Using Psalm 147 and other Scriptures of their choosing, the artists visually expressed their faith and feelings to the questions: How does God reveal Himself to you personally?  How do you see His greatness in the world around you?

The following schools were represented: United Christian Academy (Bloomington), Concordia Academy (Roseville), Providence Academy (Plymouth), Southwest Christian High School (Chaska), and St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, (St. Paul).
The artwork was displayed in Twin Cities metro area churches and schools from March 2020 to February 2021.
How Great is Our God Prayer

WHO IS GOD 2019-2020

First Students’ Traveling Exhibit

Our first traveling exhibit featuring Minnesota High School students was booked through all of 2019 and January 2020. The response from area churches and schools was enthusiastic. Congratulations to all students and facilities who were involved!

HEROES AND HERITAGE 2015
Cargill Gallery, Minneapolis Public Library

In 2017, we had the privilege of presenting a month-long exhibition to celebrate the Twin Cities, its great cultural heritage and some of the unsung heroes who have served their fellow Minnesotans. It was well received, and we loved the opportunity to bless our community!

PSALMS ANNUAL EXHIBITS 2012-2016
Based on Various Psalms Themes and Scriptures
2016 Featured Here

“Psalms by the Lake” incorporated art workshops, worship, dance, and a short-film festival featuring local film makers. Using Psalm 147 and other Scriptures of their choosing, the artists visually expressed their faith and feelings to the questions: What attributes of God mean something special to you, such as kindness, faithfulness, or mercy? 

Art Winners

(Not Pictured)
Megan Monson
Outstanding Spiritual Impact
“Psalm 32:3-5”

Donna Eder
Originality of Concept and Design in Visual Arts
“Reflection”
Psalm 16:11

Charlotte Laxen
Festival Favorite in Visual Arts
“Natures Cathedral”
Psalm 16:11

Ronald Felt
Technical Excellence Award in Visual Arts
“Out of Love for the Truth”
Psalm 119:105

Film Winners

Angels to Spare Us by Aaron Potter
Festival Favorite in Filmmaking
&
Extraordinary Application of Film Medium for Impact

I Choose Life by Michael Sanders
Excellence in Cinematography

Letters and a Rose by Aaron Potter
Outstanding Story Concept
and Development

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Communications Advisor

Debbie Gustafson

Debbie Gustafson has been an active member and participating artist since the first Psalms Exhibit in 2012. Consistently, she has supported our events and exhibits with wisdom and excellence. Her wisdom and faithfulness to our vision prompted us to seek her support as a board member, and she graciously accepted although she also serves her church and community in a number of other roles, including arts and education. In addition, she is an original member of our blogging ministry that now comprises our “Fresh Oil” artists group.

Programs Advisor

Roberta Sawyer

Roberta (“Bobbie”) Sawyer describes herself as “a lifetime dabbler with a love of experimentation with learners young and old.” Currently an elder at Prairie Community Church in Eden Prairie, Bobbie has participated in numerous types of ministry. She has taught art seminars for children including her “Art in the Park” outdoor summer series, served as a scenarist for church skits, plays and musicals, led Bible study fellowships for 12 years, and created backdrops and props for Vacation Bible Schools. She has also served as a literacy tutor and office support staff for South Hennepin Adult Programs in Education. Also an original Great Commission Arts core group member, Bobbie co-coordinates the monthly Art Klatch painters fellowship group. As a board advisor, she contributes much prayer, a tenacious faith, and a love for people and artists of all definitions.
Outreach Advisor

Geraldine Antoinette Mehta

Geri Mehta has served in numerous ministry positions, which include teaching Sunday school at Way of the Cross church in Blaine, directing girls programs at Hospitality House in north Minneapolis, serving on the mission field in Guatemala and India, and co-leading a home church. She has also been active in community organizations such as Jaycees and Toastmasters.
Geri brings a clear sense of vision and discernment to the board, especially in the area of outreach. She has a passion for promoting the gospel with compassion, love, and respect. As a painter and original Great Commission Artists core group member, Geri has served GCA faithfully in numerous capacities. Her wisdom, like her art, inspires us to seek God’s heart in all things.
Pastoral Board Advisor

Reverend Roger Kuhn

Roger Kuhn has extensive ministry experience, including numerous pastoral positions in New York, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Ohio, and Minnesota. Most of his career he has served as lead pastor and has particularly enjoyed discipling new believers. Currently, Roger serves as the National Pastor of Member Care and the Director of Church Relations at International Ministerial Fellowship, the licensing organization for W.I.N.D. of the Spirit Ministries. Additionally, his pastoral responsibilities include all IMF Alliance Churches and 200 Lead Pastors. With deep faith and a thorough understanding of ministry, Roger provides pastoral supervision, support, and prayer for W.I.N.D. Ministries, including Great Commission Artists.
Founder & Director

Marianne McDonough

Licensed for ministry in the creative arts through International Ministerial Fellowship, Marianne McDonough founded Great Commission Artists and serves as its director in addition to directing   W.I.N.D. of the Spirit Ministries, the 501 (c) (3) umbrella ministry. Believing the arts have a unique capacity to exalt God and inspire His people, Marianne loves to encourage and mentor Christian artists toward the full expression of their gifts, especially in the context of worship. Marianne’s experience includes writing in secular and Christian venues, leadership in worship and dance ministries, teaching worship arts seminars for children, and sponsoring visual arts workshops and exhibits.

In 2010, she initiated “Art in the Beauty of Holiness” seminars, specifically designed for visual artists and subsequently produced in DVD format. After the formation of GCA and its core group in 2011, she produced four more DVDs featuring artists’ interviews and three other seminars: Worship in the Potter’s Hands, Waterfalls with Rev. Paul Oman, and Banners with Elsa Hammond. She also created a cable television presentation on art and worship. 

Starting in September of 2012, Marianne inaugurated the first Great Commission Artists Exhibition, “Psalms Exhibit and Creative Arts Celebration,” at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. This event included a juried exhibit, continuous original worship music provided by local composers, and dance presentations. Since then, as of spring of 2023, GCA has presented eleven exhibitions with multi-generational artist participation, including numerous high school students from local high schools. The last six exhibitions have traveled for month-long display at Twin Cities’ churches.

Additionally, Marianne believes the Great Commission applies to all of the body of Christ, including artists of all definitions. Thus, she has guided Great Commission Artists to create a variety of teaching conferences and art-based community service projects including Kids Love, a popular Valentines day outreach to homeless children. Great Commission Artists is fulfilling its namesake mission to minister Christ to their world and glorify God.

With a Master’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Minnesota, Marianne is an author and speaker. She has served as a board director for the Minnesota Christian Writers Guild and also leads a Christian writers’ critique group. Her 2016 book, 8 Steps to Getting Real with Cancer, won the Midwest Book Awards in the health category. In 2018 she released Beating Cancer One Truth At A Time, another guide for newly diagnosed patients designed for individual or support group reflection.

Marianne enjoys writing in various genres and desires for writers to explore new ways to release their talents to exalt Christ. Her passion is to see God’s beauty revealed in all of the creative arts.