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Mark Anschutz '77 creates art piece commemorating Concordia Irvine's 50th anniversary

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Seward, NE (09/21/2026) — Mark Anschutz '77 has spent much of his life at the intersection of art, education, creativity and faith.

"Those things have never felt like separate parts of my life to me," he said. "I have always been interested in how we see the world, how we make meaning from what we see and how creativity can help us recognize and respond to God's creation."

Anschutz was commissioned by Concordia University, Nebraska President Dr. Bernard Bull to create a piece of artwork commemorating Concordia University Irvine's 50th anniversary, and Anschutz said he was honored to be asked. He started the art department at the university when it was known as Christ College Irvine.

"That history made the invitation especially meaningful to me," he said. "Being invited to create something for Concordia Irvine's 50th anniversary feels like a full-circle moment. I was there in the early years when it was still Christ College Irvine, helping to establish its art department, and now many years later, I have the privilege of creating a piece that becomes part of its 50-year story."

From the beginning, Anschutz wanted the piece to be more than simply an anniversary image. He wanted it to tell something of the university's story.

"My first thought was to find a way to incorporate Concordia Irvine's 50 academic year theme verses into the artwork. Those verses represent the spiritual and academic journey of the institution over five decades, so I began exploring ways that they could be woven together visually rather than simply listed," he said. "I considered a number of traditional symbols of celebration and spent considerable time looking through images and ideas for inspiration. Eventually, the piece developed into something more abstract and layered. The layers became important-not only visually, but conceptually. They suggest history, growth, discovery, faith, learning and the many individual pieces that come together to form the story of a university."

In many ways, the process of making the piece mirrored the story it was intended to represent, he added. It evolved, changed, was reconsidered and ultimately became something different from what he first imagined. The piece is constructed with layers of acrylic paint on wood.

"I went through several different revisions. At several points, I literally ground the surface back down and started again," he said. "I think that is one of the things I value most about creating art. The finished piece may look intentional and resolved, but getting there often involves a great deal of questioning, changing, removing and beginning again."

Anschutz said creation of the piece took about two weeks. The piece will be framed and shipped to Concordia Irvine by Concordia Nebraska's Center for Liturgical Art and will be presented to Concordia Irvine in early October by Bull and university Provost Dr. Tim Preuss as part of the Concordia Irvine's 50th anniversary observance.

"For me, this piece is both a look backward and a look forward," said Anschutz. "It honors where Concordia Irvine has been while leaving room for what God will continue to create through the people who are part of its future."

Anschutz grew up in Topeka, Kansas, and was active in the youth group of his childhood home church, Faith Lutheran. He had a friend who attended Concordia Nebraska who encouraged him to attend the university, as well. He has a bachelor's degree in education, a bachelor's degree in art and a Lutheran Teacher Diploma from then-named Concordia Teacher's College as well as a master's degree in Painting from Pittsburg State University in Kansas and a master of fine arts degree in sculpture from Wichita State University.

He said several legendary Concordia Nebraska art professors were profoundly impactful during his time at the university and beyond including Concordia's first Art Department Chair and renowned artist Reinhold Marxhausen, Professor Emeritus of Art William Wolfram, Professor Emeritus of Art Don Dynneson and Professor Emeritus of Art Richard Wiegman.

"They were particularly influential in my life, and I consider them mentors who were deeply grounded in the Christian faith," he said. "They helped me understand that creativity is not something separate from faith. Rather, creativity can be one of the ways we see and respond to God's creation. They encouraged me to look more closely, to experiment, to ask questions and to see Christ present in all of creation."

"Concordia helped me see Christ in all of His creation. That continues to influence how I understand the work I continue to do today," he added. "Looking back, I can see that God led me to a variety of places and into a variety of roles. At the time, I probably didn't think of it as a carefully planned career path. I was simply trying to be faithful to the opportunities that were placed in front of me. Each new opportunity introduced me to different people, different communities, and different ways that art and education could serve the Church. I have been incredibly blessed to meet and become great friends with so many faithful servants throughout The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod."

After graduating from Concordia Nebraska, Anschutz worked as a bronze apprentice with Jim Bass.

"That experience gave me an appreciation for the discipline, craftsmanship and patience involved in creating something with your hands," he said. "I then returned to Concordia for a semester to paint a three-part Trinity mural for the chapel and take art classes, both with Bill Wolfram."

From there, Anschutz returned to Topeka, where he apprenticed with a stained-glass window maker while substitute teaching. That eventually led him to accept his first call to Washington, D.C., where he taught for a year at Capital Lutheran High School. He then went to Pittsburg State University in Kansas where he earned a master's degree in painting. After completing that degree, he returned to Concordia and worked with Wolfram on "Refinding Founders," a Founders Hall remodeling project that created improved, dedicated space on campus for the university's Department of Art. Working for free, Anschutz helped to create a student lounge, gallery, office spaces, a projector room, a sculpting work area and a ceramics/plaster room featuring a kiln and welding apparatus.

He was then called to St. John Lutheran College in Winfield, Kansas, where he spent four years building an art program while also completing a number of commissions for churches. During this time, he also earned a master's degree from Wichita State University. When St. John College closed, another opportunity opened at Christ College Irvine in California. He spent two years there and started its art program.

"After returning to Winfield, I started my own stained-glass business and eventually became responsible for all of the church projects for Rayer Bearden Stained Glass. I later returned to California for one year to teach at Southeast Lutheran High School in South Gate," he explained. "Eventually, I found myself back in Topeka, where I purchased and restored four historic 1880 row houses while teaching at Washburn University. And then Bill Wolfram once again opened a door for me, inviting me back to Concordia to serve as resident artist and help establish the Center for Liturgical Art. When I look at that list of places and positions, it might sound as though I was constantly moving from one thing to another. In some ways, I was! But that isn't really how I experienced it. Each place prepared me for the work at the Center for Liturgical Art."

Anschutz's mother, who is 96, as well as his brother and sister-in-law still live in Topeka, Kansas, so his Kansas roots remain strong. He said family is one of the greatest blessings in his life. He is married to Professor Emeritus of Early Childhood Education Dr. Annette Anschutz '83 GR '02 '09. They share three sons, two daughters-in-law and three granddaughters.

Mark's father-in-law, Luther Klenke, served Concordia Nebraska until his retirement in the late 1990s.

"Concordia has been woven into both sides of our family in some pretty meaningful ways," he said.

He said what seemed like a winding career path at the time now looks much more like a tapestry.

"The threads of art, teaching, faith, the Church and relationships have been woven through all of it," he said. "I am grateful that God allowed me to experience so many different places and opportunities, and especially grateful for the people He placed along the way."

Mark said the opportunity to work on the project for Concordia Irvine is a meaningful reminder that we rarely know at the beginning of a journey where God may eventually lead us or how the things we are doing today may become part of a much larger story."

"Creativity has been a thread running through my entire life. It has connected my education, my vocation, my relationships and my faith," he said. "I am grateful for the people from Concordia that have shaped that journey."

About Concordia University, Nebraska

Concordia University, Nebraska, founded in 1894, is a fully accredited, coeducational university of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod located in Seward, Nebraska, which currently serves more than 1,700 students. Concordia offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in an excellent academic and Christ-centered community that equips men and women for lives of learning, service and leadership in the church and world. For more information, visit cune.edu.

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