We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Donna Wilcox. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Donna below.

Donna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

Our business of stewarding the Prince of Peace painting has always been about finding a way to share with the world a masterpiece painted by then-eight-year-old child prodigy Akiane Kramarik and the miraculous story surrounding its creation, disappearance, and resurrection. The creation of Belóved Gallery turned this dream into reality.

In November 2019, Lewis and Kirsten Cirne acquired the Prince of Peace painting, the most recognized portrait of Jesus in the world, with the idea of partnering with a national museum on its exhibition. When the policies surrounding COVID-19 halted the world in March 2020, we postponed these plans and began praying for the Lord to reveal His plan for the painting. In the meantime, the Cirne’s acquired several more original paintings that Akiane created between nine and fifteen. These paintings would unknowingly become the centerpieces of Belóved Gallery’s inaugural exhibition, Akiane: The Early Years.

Later that year, after the Cirne’s relocated to Marble Falls, Texas, we knew this small town just an hour west of Austin would be the home of the world-renowned Prince of Peace painting. We launched Belóved Gallery and Cáfe and began designing and constructing a combined space of 4,725sf into a beautiful sanctuary-like atmosphere to host guests and showcase miraculous art and stories. On the first weekend in April 2023, we opened Belóved Gallery to the public. In just one year, we have achieved significant milestones: the soft launch premier event, grand opening weekend, book signings and interviews with Master Fine Artist Akiane Kramarik, the addition of three new masterpieces to Akiane: The Early Years exhibition, the inaugural Fall Affair, Belóved Gala, and a 55-minute immersive performance, all the while celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Prince of Peace painting.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Making this extraordinary opportunity to experience the Prince of Peace painting known to the world from a small town in Texas has required us to think critically and strategically about our branding and marketing efforts. Belóved has been dear to the Cirne’s hearts for many years. Not only is it the gallery’s name, but it is also the genesis of our culture and how we think about and host our guests. We created our identity from that place, developing our brand guide to include the humble, majestic, past, present, and future, as well as masculine and feminine personality traits. Both the gallery design and our marketing elements reflect these traits, creating space for all to know they are beloved by God.

We started promoting locally but knew we wanted a farther reach. The Prince of Peace came to us already having a worldwide audience, some of whom have followed the painting’s journey for decades. We built our social media platforms believing it was vital for us to engage this entire community, knowing that not all of them can afford a trip across the world. The hope is for each person to feel like they are an essential part of the Prince of Peace’s story, and our social media posts reflect that. Our team also takes time to send thoughtful and personal responses to messages and comments. This year, we’ve prioritized translating our website and social media content into multiple languages to make content accessible to an even more diverse audience.

We’ve engaged our audience by creating content-rich social media and marketing materials. Our wonderfully talented marketing and creative team utilizes photography, film, and music to create content that tells Akiane’s story and the stories in the powerful day-to-day interactions and experiences at Belóved Gallery and Café. We have captured and shared dozens of stories of faith from visitors worldwide who have experienced the Prince of Peace. New York Times best-selling author John Burke and several other notable celebrities and leaders have also been the subject of our content and messaging. Not only does this help us achieve our mission of inspiring faith through art, but it also ensures that we stay connected with our audience and continue building it worldwide.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

The same content-rich focus we use for our social media translates into our monthly emails, including features on Belóved Gallery and relevant cultural content, in-depth personal testimonies, and news about upcoming events and announcements. We cross-market with Akiane Gallery and other strategic partners to broaden our reach and network. Once a guest has toured Akiane: The Early Years, they receive a series of emails as a follow-up, including opportunities to provide feedback, share personal thoughts, and information on donating and volunteering. Many of our tour guests also find a personal connection with Belóved team members while at the gallery, which encourages them to stay in touch. Some have even become new friends who return often.

Our ongoing campaign, #iam_beloved, captures the stories of people who want to share their testimonies and encounters with Jesus to encourage a world searching for hope. Again, these stories create touchpoints for guests and online followers alike. Followers often feel led to share their own stories in comments or direct messages. Many start online conversations or encourage others. We’ve had followers even pray for each other that they might be able to visit Belóved Gallery.

Akiane’s personal story is nothing short of a miracle, and Belóved Gallery shares hers and many others as a testimony to the Good News. It’s been humbling for our team to watch the continued impact. In just one year, we’ve hosted over 20,000 tour guests from more than 15 countries, free of charge, and we have asked each one to tell 50 people to visit Belóved Gallery. With a solid social media presence and word-of-mouth effort, we look forward to meeting one million people at Belóved Gallery.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.belovedgallery.org

Image Credits
Image credits to Belóved Gallery.