One gentleman in his 60’s, Hans, came all the way from Greenland with a hand-painted teapot in tow as a gift for Akiane. Belóved guests participated in tours of Akiane: The Early Years, the Symphony of Art!, and the inaugural Belóved Gala. They cried, they laughed, and they made new friends. Most of all, they celebrated the power of art to embolden and inspire faith and draw us deeper into God’s love.

“I feel like I belong here,” one guest, Jennifer, shared with us. “The professionalism, the people, the level of art has just blown me away, and at the same time, the kindness of the community has touched my heart.”

Many first time visitors stood face to face with the original Prince of Peace painting and experienced the awe and emotion that often follows. For others, it was like a family reunion where distant relatives find commonality, even when meeting for the first time. João Paulo Gonçalves’s shadow art exhibit not only revealed the face of Jonathan Roumie, the actor who plays Jesus in The Chosen, but also another piece in his display gradually revealed the same face as guests took turns participating in a word search. Gene Glaeser’s presentation on understanding God through art featured an original 1500’s sketch of Albrecht Dürer’s The Last Supper. Laughter filled the interview with Akiane, led by W. David O. Taylor, and new fun tidbits about the fine art master emerged. Did you know “the food she can’t live without” is eggs?