Last modified on 2024-03-31
Church of the Frescos from Vivian Miller on Vimeo.
The Ashe County Fresco Churches rank among the most popular cultural attractions in Ashe County, attracting thousands of visitors each year. Created by renowned North Carolina-based artist Benjamin F. Long IV, the frescoes are housed in two charming, century-old mountain churches: St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in West Jefferson and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Glendale Springs.
About the Artist:
A master of fresco painting and also renowned as a portrait painter, Benjamin Franklin Long, IV grew up in Statesville, North Carolina, and studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1969 he enlisted in the Marine Corps and served in Vietnam. After two years of service he travelled to Italy where he became an apprentice to acclaimed artist Pietro Annigoni. Under Annigoni’s tutelage, Long mastered the art of fresco painting and also devoted his studies to oil painting on canvas. This apprenticeship lasted eight years and was highlighted when Long was awarded the prestigious Leonardo Da Vinci Art Award.
Fresco painting, which dates back thousands of years, is an art form where the artist applies paint to wet plaster. The pigment merges with the plaster and produces a rock hard surface. Fresco painting was particularly popular during the Italian Renaissance with Michelangelo’s frescoes in Rome’s Sistine Chapel being iconic examples.
In 1973 Long returned to North Carolina and arranged with the rector of Saint Mary’s Parish, the Reverend Faulton Hodge, to create the first in a series of frescoes in Ashe County. His first fresco for St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Mary Great with Child, was completed in 1974, and was followed by the fresco John the Baptist. In 1977 Long created The Mystery of Faith fresco, a magnificent image, which covers the entire sanctuary wall at St. Mary’s. Three years later, with the funding from patrons including the North Carolina Arts Council and Wilkes Community College, Long began work on his vision of The Last Supper. Long created this stunning fresco with the help of 20 student assistants and apprentices, and is housed at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in nearby Glendale Springs.
Today Ben Long lives in Asheville, North Carolina. He is best known for his frescoes, and has major works at Bank of America Corporate Center and Transamerica Square in Charlotte, North Carolina. For more on Ben Long visit his website: http://www.benlongfineart.com
Where:
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church: 400 Beaver Creek School Road, West Jefferson NC Holy Trinity Episcopal Church: 120 Glendale School Road, Glendale Springs
Cost:
Free
Hours:
Both churches are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For more information visit: http://www.ashefrescoes.org
