St. Mary's Episcopal Church in West Jefferson:

Ben Long's "Mystery of Faith" Fresco

April, 2008

All photos and illustrations by Pat Johns ©2008
All Rights Reserved
See links to article references at the end of the article.

St. Mary's Episcopal Church in West Jefferson is home to North Carolina artist Ben Long's "Mystery of Faith" fresco. This small church was transformed in the mid 1970s by his paintings of "Mary Great with Child", "John the Baptist" and by this fresco and now receives thousands of visitors each year.

Recommended Reading : "Wet-Wall Tattoos: Ben Long and the Art of Fresco " by Richard Maschal

Click on the image at right to learn more . . .
"From Library Journal
This slender volume weaves two narrative threads--the life of artist Ben Long and the making of a huge fresco on the altar wall of St. Peter's Catholic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Maschal, a journalist for the Charlotte Observer , employs strong narrative and detailed anecdotes to describe the two-year project and its colorful protagonists. Conflict soon erupted between Long and the priest at St. Peter's, recalling the battle of wills between their more famous prototypes, Michelangelo and Pope Julius II. A former Marine combat artist, Long emerges as a complex and highly talented man committed to his vision and artistic beliefs. Recommended beyond regional collections for its vivid descriptions of a contemporary religious commission and Long's buon fresco technique.
- Russell T. Clement, Brigham Young Univ. Lib., Provo, Ut.     - Book Description from Amazon.com

After serving 2 years in Vietnam, Long studied the art of fresco painting with Pietro Annigoni in Florence Italy for 8 years. He returned to the U.S. and looked for projects for his fresco painting skills.

At a reception in Blowing Rock, North Carolina given by artist Philip Moose, Long met Father Faulton Hodge who was responsible for 2 small churches in the local mountains.

It is told that Father Hodge agreed to let Long paint in the church without knowing what a fresco was.

Long and his associates drew much attention while working on the paintings and fresco and were supported with food and lodging by several local citizens, some of whom also served as models.

The painting to the left is in the church. It was painted by artist Philip Moose who is credited with introducing Ben Long to Episcopal priest Faulton Hodge.

The painting below is by Tony Griffin, Ben Long's brother-in-law, who studied with him in Florence. This painting is also in the church.

To learn more about visiting the St. Mary's paintings and fresco, click here.

To learn more about Ben Long's fresco in nearby Glendale Springs NC click here.

Links related to this article:

• BenLongFrescoTrail.org - Holy Trinity Church
• BenLongFineArt.com - Ben Long Biography
• BlueRidgeHeritage.com - Blue Ridge Frescoes
• Episcopal Church Visual Arts
• ChurchOfTheFrescoes.com
• GlendaleSpringsInn.com
• Wikipedia.com entry about Frescoes