The Frescoes at St. Paul's

St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, has many unique aspects, including an interesting history (see my blog of Aug, 12, 2015) , but the most noted feature is its frescoes. Ben Long painted the two scenes, which show the apostle Paul and are so appropriate for this church named after him.

Roger Nelson and James Daniel assisted Long on the paintings. A large fresco stands in the commons area, on each side of the doorway to the old chapel. The one to the left shows Paul's conversion based on Acts 22:6-11. The one on the right is entitled Paul in Prison, based on Philippians 1:3-8.

The parish and the Cultural Arts Council for Wilkes County joined together to have Long paint the two frescoes. Long is an internationally know artist from North Carolina, who specializes in fresco painting using the ancient technique from the Renaissance. It's a drawn-out process that involves applying three separate layers to the wall. The first layer includes a base coat of plaster. Next comes a finer coat to which a red outline drawing is added. The final layer of plaster is applied in small sections, so the water-based pigments can be added before the plaster dries. In this process, the painting becomes part of the wall.

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