Where artists congregate
Shannon and Paul Erwin transform the Trinity Lutheran Church sanctuary in preparation for the first Sunday of Advent. Shannon is hanging her massive hand-painted panels, depicting the city of Bethlehem.
ELLI GOLDMAN HILBERT/Press
Local artist, Shannon Erwin installs the enormous, hand-painted panels that mark the opening of the Advent season this Sunday.
Stained-glass windows line a hallway within Trinity Lutheran Church on Fifth Street in Coeur d'Alene. Crafted by local artist Rebecca Ames Anderson, the windows join a host of impressive art pieces by local artists.
Local artist Shannon Erwin adds the touch of some greenery to the hand-crafted Advent ring created by artist Tom Husby for Trinity Lutheran Church.
A metal-work sculpture created by local artist Rebecca Ames Anderson for the sanctuary of Trinity Lutheran Church in Coeur d'Alene.
The two large, hand-painted panels created by local artist Shannon Erwin on either side of the cross, are installed each Christmas season to mark the beginning of Advent.
A collaborative art-piece by Tyree Riggs, who did the metal-work, and her sister-in-law Shannon Erwin who crafted the stained glass flames for this lamp that hangs in the sanctuary of Trinity Lutheran Church in Coeur d'Alene.
COEUR d’ALENE — Local artist Shannon Erwin isn’t one to sing her own praises.
But Jill Dougherty, a member of the outreach team at Trinity Lutheran Church on Fifth Street in Coeur d’Alene, was happy to do so as Erwin installed her massive cloth panel paintings to adorn the sanctuary for Advent season.
The panels are close to 15 feet tall and were hand-painted by Erwin using acrylic paint on a raw cloth background. They depict the skyline of Bethlehem.
“This is a very talented family. That’s why I’m so excited for people to know,” said Dougherty. “Shannon has done a lot of work for the theatre. Her artwork here totally transforms the sanctuary.”
Erwin has a long history as an artist. For years, she was involved in costume and set design, in particular for Lake City Playhouse and The Modern Theatre. For the past decade, Erwin and her husband Paul, a Shakespearean actor, have undertaken the transformation of Trinity Lutheran Church twice yearly for Advent and for the Easter season.
“Shannon has an artist’s eye for perspective and knows how to fill this large space,” said Mike Grabenstein, the congregation’s council president and a retired minister.
Grabenstein has known Erwin for decades, as she grew up within the church. Shannon was baptized there as a child and married her husband there 24 years ago.
“We were married right before Christmas, on the 20th,” Erwin said. “It was all snowy the day we got married.”
The Erwins manage the Crown & Thistle Pub on Fourth Street in downtown Coeur d'Alene and remain involved in the community art scene. For Shannon, it seems to be a family trait. Her sister-in-law is local metalsmith Tyree Riggs, married to Shannon’s brother, Sen. Peter Riggs of Coeur d'Alene.
Tyree has created numerous pieces that sprinkle the Coeur d’Alene landscape, such as “The Viking Ship” bike rack behind the Coeur d’Alene Public Library and the “Stegosaurus” bike rack outside Sorensen Elementary School. Tyree is also responsible for the giant bunny sculpture on Sherman Avenue near Art Spirit Gallery.
Tyree and Erwin have also collaborated on pieces, such as the metalwork/stained glass flame lamp housed in the sanctuary of Trinity Lutheran Church. Tyree crafted the metalwork, while Erwin created the stained-glass flames.
Grabenstein explained that Advent marks the beginning of a new church year, and is a Lutheran tradition rooted in Scandinavia. There are four Sundays during Advent for which candles are lit, celebrating peace, hope, love and joy, respectively.
“Getting ready for Advent means a time of reflective contemplation, and hope for the coming of the Christ child and the new year,” Grabenstein said. “Our culture doesn’t do very well with waiting; we have to have our answers and everything else, right now. So it’s almost as if there is an ancient calling to wait and anticipate.”
The Advent tradition is one of taking the time to build the suspense of each aspect of celebration. For example, the manger scene that adorns the pulpit is formed during the four weeks of Advent. Each Sunday a few figurines will make their way to the manger, with Baby Jesus arriving last, Grabenstein said.
Trinity Lutheran Church is almost 120 years old and was most recently remodeled in 2013. It has about 200 members.
Throughout, there is evidence of a celebration of creativity and hand-crafted art installations. A hallway of stained glass pieces as well as a large metal wall sculpture was created by local artist Rebecca Ames Anderson, who taught art for the Coeur d’Alene School District for decades and maintains a professional studio in town.
A decorative Advent Ring was designed and hand-crafted by artist Tom Husby, whose father Jeremy was the former pastor of the church. Husby also made beautiful accent rails for the altar from a walnut tree, with a soft, brushed finish.
The acoustics within the church are known to be amazing also, Grabenstein said. “The 3Cs will be holding their Christmas concert here,” he said.
“We really are blessed to have so many artists here in the congregation,” Grabenstein said.
