When academics block creativity, students can now turn to a new club on campus. The Hearthkeepers are dedicated to creating art that glorifies God and encouraging the artists that make it. The club can be found in the Knorr Dining Hall every Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m.
According to club president and junior Brennan Berryhill, the club’s origins arose from a bunch of friends talking about what they love.
“The idea started the spring of my freshman year, when a group of myself and some of my friends had impromptu discussions about projects we were working on,” Berryhill said. “We asked some questions about the relationship between our art and our faith, and we all enjoyed the discussions, so we decided to try making it a structured, official club the next year.”
The group, now a probationary club approved by the Student Federation last October, aims to both create art and encourage those who make it.
“We’re a club of creative Christians, drawing on the tradition of the Inklings,” Berryhill said. “Our mission is twofold: We aim to make our work more honoring to God through weekly discussions about topics we should think through as Christian artists, and we encourage each other to make time for creative work.”
According to club treasurer and junior Aryn Tomasetti, the club is meant to be a haven for creative people in the midst of the rigors of college life.
“There’s a camaraderie of people who want to create and make space for that in an intensely academic environment,” Tomasetti said. “I joined because it’s just so great to sit around a table with people who understand the importance of doing it.”
Tomasetti said the club meetings mostly consist of free-form Socratic discussions on various topics.
“We’ll have a set of discussion questions,” Tomasetti said. “But tangents and blatant disregard for the prepared material are encouraged.”
According to Tomasetti, the club also holds special events. This semester, it will host a poetry night Oct. 4 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Phi Sig Pavilion.
“We’re going to have a poetry bonfire, which is where you can come read poetry out loud that you’ve written, recite poetry, and read poems that you really like, that inspire you,” Tomasetti said.
According to Tomasetti, the club’s discussions and work are grounded in Christian faith.
“It’s specifically a Christian club,” Tomasetti said. “That’s required for membership, because we’ll talk about why the Imago Dei matters in being a co-creator in some ways.”
Tomasetti added that the Hearthkeepers prioritize actually creating things, instead of just talking about them.
“Membership requires sharing your work at least once a semester,” Tomasetti said.
According to Tomasetti, the club’s name is closely tied to its vision of creating in the Christian tradition.
“We’re defending what’s true and beautiful about the home and the place of rest that you need to create,” Tomasetti said. “That’s why it’s called Hearthkeepers.”
According to sophomore Sophia Finch, Hearthkeepers is open to creators of any kind.
“We enjoy the company of people of all interests and skill levels, some of whom are just getting started with thinking about where creative work fits into their lives,” Finch said. “If you are at all interested in what we do, there is no reason to hold back from joining us.”
