Downtown Wheaton Shops to Host “A Gift to Remember”

The Jonahre Foundation is pleased to announce its 2017 Christmas Art Walk, “A Gift to Remember,” which will take place throughout downtown Wheaton from December 12-24. Visitors are invited to explore, discover, and walk through the twelve host stores in Wheaton to view the works of twelve different artists commissioned for the event. On Saturday, December 16 many of the artists will be in the stores for a meet and greet to share their inspiration for their pieces. There will also be an outdoor live nativity play with actors and animals from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Carlson’s Hardware Store, and a nativity-themed art “Make & Take” for kids to complete at MOORE Toys & Gadgets from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Each commissioned work of art interprets one of twelve Biblical events from the story of the first Christmas, beginning with Gabriel’s announcement to Mary through the Wise Men’s presentation of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  The event was introduced in 2013, when Jonahre’s founder, Christine Gunn-Danforth, PhD., was asked to recreate the Passion Art Walk experience she created in Barrington, Illinois, this time telling the story of Christmas. “We want to bring a fresh way to experience the true gift of Christmas,” Christine said, “and to call the church to stand together and to proclaim the unity available in Jesus Christ for all people in the Wheaton area, our country and the world.”

The Jonahre Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing Biblical storytelling to life through the arts in order to transform lives. Its mission is to develop, operate and promote charitable and religious programs via the Jonahre model, which brings truth to reality through Biblical storytelling.

Participating Stores

1. Suzette’s Creperie:

2. Kilwins Wheaton

3. Ivy Restaurant

4. Miroballi Shoes

5. Egg’lectic Café

6. Naperville Running Company

7. P.S. Flowers

8. Studio 209

9. Stones Jewelry

10. Moore Toys & Gadgets

11. Carlson Art Supply

12. Carlson Hardware

Participating Artists:

Elizabeth Roskam: Station #1 “Mary”

Tim Botts: Station #2 “Joseph”

Lisa Shabez: Station #3 “Glad News”

Marsha English: Station #4 “Decree”

Steve Puttrich: Station #5 “Journey to Bethlehem”

Don Ryan: Station #6 “No Room in the Inn”

Raed Masih: Station #7 “The Birth of Jesus”

Marc Mantasoot: Station #8 “Wise Men Following the Star”

Cornelia Oprisansu: Station #9 “The Shepherds in the Fields”

Pat Armbruster: Station #10 “Frankincense”

Lisa Pires: Station #11 “Gold”

Mary Whitmer: Station #12 “Myrrh”