St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Wilkesboro, North Carolina
 
Story by Dan Hardison

For more than one hundred and fifty years, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church has found a home atop a steep hill in downtown Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Changes have come to this historic mountain church through the years, but in 2002 it embarked on a new journey that includes the visual arts when internationally known artist Ben Long painted two frescos depicting the story of St. Paul at the church.

St. Paul’s Church traces its beginnings to 1836. A brick Gothic church was constructed in 1848 and consecrated the following year. When the ceremony was held for the new church, faculty and students from the Valle Crucis Seminary walked the fifty-four miles through the Blue Ridge Mountains to Wilkesboro for the occasion. In 1928, the north wall of the church collapsed during a windstorm. The small congregation was able to repair the damage, but except for the construction of a Parish House across from the old church in 1958, little else changed until the 1990's.

Paul in Prison
By Ben Long
Fresco
(Photo courtesy of St Paul's)

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Coventry Chapel and Labyrinth

A new chapel to accommodate the growing congregation was built in 1990 behind the old church and the two buildings connected with a common area. Services are still held in the old chapel for an early Sunday worship.

St. Paul’s has followed the ancient tradition of burying the dead within the confines of the church grounds and is surrounded by a cemetery. An outdoor chapel and labyrinth has been constructed just outside the graves in the churchyard.

The Coventry Chapel at St. Paul's was inspired the design of St. Michael’s Cathedral in Coventry, England. The cathedral was destroyed during World War II when a German raid devastated the city. After the war, a decision was made not to rebuild the cathedral but instead to build a new building beside the ruins. The remains of the destroyed cathedral are used as an entry to the new cathedral. It is in this spirit that a partial stone wall was constructed behind the altar of Coventry Chapel with three Gothic style window frames (from the construction of the new chapel at St. Paul’s). The ‘ruins’ of the Coventry Chapel serves as a reminder that “out of human sin and brokenness, God always brings hope, new life, and a new start”.

A unique opportunity came to St. Paul’s in 2002 when the parish and the Cultural Arts Council for Wilkes County joined together to have Ben Long paint two frescos in the Commons area at the church. Ben Long, a native of North Carolina, is internationally known for his work in the ancient art of fresco painting. Long works in the traditional technique used by the great Renaissance painters. The fresco is a long tedious process of applying three layers to the wall. The first layer is a base coat of plaster. Next is a finer coat of plaster to which a red outline transferred from a drawing is applied. The final layer of plaster is applied in small sections so that water-based pigments can be applied before the plaster dries. By using this process the painting becomes part of the wall.

Long was assisted by Roger Nelson and ECVA artist James Daniel. The frescos at St. Paul’s Church were created to each side of the entrance to the old chapel in the Commons area. On the left is The Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle based on Acts 22:6-11. On the right is Paul in Prison based on Philippians 1:3-8.

The Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle
By Ben Long
Fresco
(Photo courtesy of St Paul's)

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The Ben Long frescos may be the most conspicuous visual arts at St. Paul’s Church, but this parish has continued to embrace the visual arts. Former parishioner, fiber artist Mary Anne Caplinger, created a series of altar frontals, paraments, and vestments used to celebrate the seasons of the church year. Also included is Ascension, a large painting created by artist and parishioner Ken Nelson that hangs in the Parish House.

White Frontal
By Mary Anne Caplinger
Appliqued and quilted silk, linen, and wool

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The Vision Within
By Tom Thielemann

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Ascension
By Ken Nelson
Oil on canvas

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Icon of St. Paul
By Veryle Lynn Cox
Mixed media

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There is also an enduring Icon of St. Paul that hangs in the Commons area opposite the frescos. In 2003, clay artist Veryle Lynn Cox created an icon of St. Paul while taking a class in icon writing at Kanuga in Western North Carolina. She chose to create a copy of a 15^th Century icon written by Russian monk and saint Rublev. Completing the icon following the ancient technique of icon writing that involves meditation and prayer, Cox was so moved by the experience that she felt it should be “out in the world doing its holy work instead of resting on a shelf”. After hearing about St. Paul’s Church and its frescos, she knew a proper home for the icon had been found. When Cox visited the church for the installation and blessing of the icon, it was discovered that the clay Eucharist vessels used during Lent at St. Paul’s were also created by Cox. The vessels had not been bought directly from the artist and the connection was not made until her arrival.

Since its consecration when faculty and students made the long hard walk across the mountains to Wilkesboro, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church has been on a spiritual journey to bring “God’s healing and liberating powers to all whom we interact with in our daily living". St. Paul’s has found that the visual arts are one more way to reach out to those who are drawn to Christ.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
200 Cowles Street
Wilkesboro, North Carolina  28697
(336) 667-4231

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The Frescos of St. Paul's

(All photos by Dan Hardison except where noted.)