Center for Liturgical Art Moves Into New Space
by Charity Schafer
After breaking ground only last May, the Center for Liturgical Arts is officially moved into its new space on the corner of East Lincoln and North Columbia.
Formerly located in the basement of Jesse Hall on campus, the new building was built on the property that was until last year the location of Reinhold Marxhausen’s house and studio.
After Marxhausen’s death in 2012 and his wife’s a few years later, their house was in possession of and kept up by their children. They decided that the best use of the house and property would be to donate both to the CLA.
The new building is much more spacious and full of light than the basement of Jesse and features preserved elements of the Marxhausen’s house, including plant stands made from parts of the porch, various works of art, and the front door. Marxhausen’s personal studio is preserved and stands behind the CLA. While currently being used as a storage space, it is in the process of being renovated for greater use later on.
Marxhausen, along with Harvey Lange and Ken Schmidt, recognized the need for better art in the church and founded the Center for Liturgical Art in 2004 as an outreach program to help churches align their visual spaces with their theology and enhance the silent witness of the visual arts in worship and ministry.
The Center works on projects that are site-specific, meaning that every project is different and unique, and the program allows students opportunities to learn about what it means to be an artist in the church. Different types of projects that the CLA specializes in are stained glass, chancel designs, furnishings, mosaics, and crosses.
Examples of their work and more news about the CLA is available on their website.
Photo by Morgan German
