Friday, December 24, 1999
Creche display spans globe
Grailville exhibits Nativity scenes
BY JENNY CALLISON
Enquirer Contributor
LOVELAND — Every year, wise men and shepherds from all over the world gather in the dining room of Grailville, an education and conference center.
They are Nativity figures, carved or molded in everything from olive wood from the Holy Land to banana leaves from Nigeria. Grailville's exhibit of international creches numbers more than 50 manger scenes from 20 cultures.
“We started in the 1940s,” said Alecia Schroedel, part of the center's public relations staff. “Our foundress, Lydwine von Kirstenberg, traveled back and forth to Europe and brought back creches from Germany and Holland.”
The collection has grown with gifts of Nativity scenes given by Grailville associates. Other creches were made by resident artists in the center's pottery studio during the 1960s and 1970s.
Each scene incorporates the vision of the artist as well as cultural traditions. Local artist Trina Paulus includes Buddha as one of her three wise men. A colorful creche from Poland doubles as a miniature puppet theater.
“When Polish children went caroling door to door, they would do a little puppet show of the Nativity,” ex plained Ms. Schroedel.
Characters from a village are crafted into a Brazilian Nativity scene.
“In a lot of primitive sets like this one, you don't have the detail in facial features but a lot of detail in activity and ornamentation,” she said.
African creches show the stable as a crude stick hut or a thatched house on stilts. A Portuguese scene, in contrast, provides a palace for Jesus' birthplace.
“They couldn't stand the idea of his being born in a stable,” Ms. Schroedel said.
Since the international creche exhibit opened Nov. 26, Grailville has hosted groups from schools, churches and senior citizen centers.
IF YOU GO
• What: International creche exhibit
• Where: Grailville Conference Center, 932 O'Bannonville Road, Loveland
• When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 6
• Admission: Free
• Information: 683-2340
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