The Scriptures tell us that “humans are born to trouble just as sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). But even though conflict can spark trouble, differing thoughts and feelings can also catalyze great works of art.
Steve Weihsmann and Jim Flaa both understand the transformational power of art and conversation and how both can improve a community. Last summer, they helped start a community art gallery in Upsala, the small Minnesota town where they both reside. That decision has helped to spark a movement.
Weihsmann is the pastor of Community Covenant Church in Upsala. In his last pastoral call, he was connected to an art gallery, and he wanted to replicate that experience in Upsala. So, he gathered some other like-minded folk to form a think tank.
“When I moved here and started running into other artists like myself, I thought about the idea of a gallery. I thought it would be pretty neat for our small, rural town,” he said. “We called it ‘The Art of Conversation’ because we wanted people to be able to gather and have conversations about art. But more than that, we wanted people to be able to get together and have conversations about Jesus.”
The gallery space itself is in a building owned by a local bank, which used to be a polling place until that function was moved to a recreational center on the other side of town. The space had been vacant for some time, and the bank was looking for a renter when Weihsmann and the think tank folks inquired about its use. “When the bank learned of our interest,” said Weihsmann, “and considered the benefit to the community, they gave us the space—rent-free and utility-free. We are very grateful for this generosity.”
Flaa is retired from his work as a chef at a Christian camp in the area and attends Country Community Church in the nearby town of Holdingford. He had an artistic background and was known for offering art-related workshops during his two decades on staff there. So when he was contacted by someone in the think tank, he was intrigued.
“I mean, it’s really a small town,” admits Flaa. “So you wonder if it’s really going to really take off. Is this going to be a viable thing? When I met the people who were involved, I realized there was a lot of passion and interest in exactly what the Art of Conversation concept was.”
Weihsmann, Flaa, and others ended up recruiting about 30 local artists from Upsala and the surrounding areas. In June they started a series of monthly art shows in a local venue. The third one in particular was quite successful, in part because they tied it into an existing community rhythm.
“It was geared around our big summer celebration for the Town Heritage Day,” said Weihsmann. “They had a theme called ‘Up North.’ In addition to artwork, we asked people to bring historic artifacts. One guy brought a pine chest that had traveled over from Denmark with his great-grandfather. Under a glass case, he had the ledger that his great-grandfather had used when he opened a store in a neighboring community. There were pages that showed which ship he arrived on, citizenship papers, stuff like that. We had photographs, paintings, and ceramic work. One woman wove apple baskets from reeds, and another made scented soaps. I think what people liked is that there is some really good art, but also the average person who happens to be a little bit artistic is honored and valued.”
Flaa says many people in the community have really taken the conversational mission to heart and have volunteered to take shifts in the gallery to be present for those coming in to examine the art.
“I was hosting one time with a gal, and we got involved in a conversation about her life and the struggle she had with her alcoholic husband. That led to a very spiritual conversation between the two of us. I wasn’t expecting that, and it turned out to be so good. It was just the kind of thing we had had in mind, and it happened organically.”
Because Flaa had a history of doing art primarily as a hobby, I asked him what it was like to invite the community to come see his work.
“It was exciting,” said Flaa. “You kind of long for someone to see the stuff you do and to give you an honest opinion of it. In the spotlight’s eye, there’s a little bit of trepidation with how your stuff is going to be taken.”
It’s still early, but when it comes to how the art gallery is impacting the local church, Weihsmann likes what he’s seeing.
“It’s been very well received as a concept in our church. It was encouraged by the leadership team. They knew it was going to take time, and they said, ‘Go ahead and do that as long as you can get everything else done. We’re in favor of this.’”
According to Flaa, the community support has extended beyond their two churches and into the local schools. “Upsala is a proud community, proud of its heritage. It has a very outgoing K-12 school, and its sports, drama, and music programs are well-attended by the community. This is no different.” He told me that one of the art teachers is helping to curate the gallery and is planning a student-led show later on in October.
I asked both Flaa and Weihsmann if they had any concerns about potential pushback from community members because sometimes art can be provocative. But they both reiterated that the gallery is a family-friendly place for people of all ages, and they’re confident they can maintain that standard, even as it may expand into other forms of media like music or poetry.
Weihsmann says their true keys to success were taking their time, finding a suitable team of volunteers, and bathing the whole project in prayer.
“You need the right people who can see the vision of this little gallery as being something that can be a plus for the community, but also an opportunity to be a place where God can be glorified.”
