AMT @ Glendale Springs, NC
  
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"The Last Supper" Featured Fresco
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
Glendale Springs, NC

Exit BR Parkway MilePost: 259
  Featured Fresco Artist: Benjamin F. Long IV
Trail Member/Sponsor: Episcopal Parish of the Holy Communion

Mural Descriptions

    Featured Fresco - The Last Supper   This true fresco, which fills the wall behind the altar in Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Glendale Springs, NC, was created in 1980 by Benjamin F. Long, whose home town was Statesville, NC. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church located at 248 JW Luke Road is open 24/7 and an audio recording, available to visitors, gives information about the church and the figures in the fresco. Information is also available on the parish website; phc.diocesewnc.org, and on the facebook site the parish of the holy communion the churches of the frescoes.

    True fresco painting, a special kind of mural, is one of the most challenging of all art forms. "Fresco" is Italian for "fresh". Wet plaster is applied to a wall and while still wet, colored mineral pigments are painted into the plaster. Because the pigments bond so quickly into wet plaster, great skill and meticulous plans are required. In this technique where the pigments actually penetrate into the plaster, light is reflected differently as compared to painting onto a hard surface, and a fresco image appears to be more three-dimensional.

    The Last Supper depicts a scene in first century Jerusalem. The figure haloed by the window is a Jewish Rabbi named Jesus. He and his followers are celebrating the Passover with a local family and eating the Seder meal, which make present again the events of the night when God freed the people of Israel from bondage in Egypt. Jesus uses this occasion to teach His friends about servanthood and selfless love. He introduces a sacrament by which we make him present again in our own lives.
    Fresco Artist: Benjamin F. Long IV

    Fresco Mention#1 - Moses on Mount Sinai  Over the main entrance doorway in the rear of the church is a fresco of Moses bringing the tablets of the law down from Mount Sinai by artist Charles Kapsner. He shows Moses in his anger at the Israelites who have rejected the God who brought them out of Egypt and have gone back to worshipping the man-made idols of their slave days.
    Fresco Artist: Charles Kapsner

    Fresco Mention#2 - Agony of Christ  In the vestibule is The Agony of Christ , a fresco by Sheila Batiste, a young woman who was among a group of art students working with Mr. Long during the painting of The last Supper. She has portrayed the agony of crucifixion in stark terms, and with black features. In her picture, the face of Christ is the universal face of human pain.
    Fresco Artist: Sheila Batiste

    Fresco Mention#3 - Departure of Christ  In the columbarium on the lower floor of the church is a fresco, The Departure of Christ was painted in 1984 by Jeffrey Mims. This fresco depicts Jesus leaving his mother, home, and relatives to begin his ministry. Mr. Mims was a student of Ben Long and was commissioned to paint this fresco as a memorial to a young girl in the congregation who died at the age of 10 after being struck by a truck near St. Mary's Church. Based on this fresco, Mr. Mims won the American Classical Award for Art.
    Fresco Artist: Jeffrey Mims

Moses on Mount Sinai Fresco Mention #1
 

Agony of Christ Fresco Mention #2  

Departure of Christ Fresco Mention #3  

Featured Artist Bio: Benjamin F. Long IV

     Benjamin F. Long IV was born in Victoria, TX in 1945 where his father, a fighter pilot in WW II, was stationed. His mother returned to their home in NC while Ben was still a baby. Reared in a family of artists, writers, professors, and university presidents, Long was as precocious in his artistic ability as he was eager to apply it. At 18, Long followed his father's footsteps to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he majored in Creative Writing under the guidance of his friend and advisor Reynolds Price. Upon completing his University coursework and at the insistence of his advisor, Long moved to New York to immerse himself in the study of fine art.

     In NYC, Long became a member of the Art Students League of New York, studying under the guidance of such notable artists as Robert Beverly Hale and Frank Mason. Then, in 1969, Long preempted the draft by enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps. He served just over two tours of duty in Vietnam as a Marine Corps Combat Officer; during his last tour he served as Commander of the Combat Art Team, and much of his work from that period is now on display at the United Stated Marine Corps Museum.

     Upon leaving Vietnam, Long traveled to Florence, Italy, to apprentice himself to internationally renowned Maestro Pietro Annigoni, with whom he learned the art of True Fresco. Long committed himself to Annigoni for almost nine years. His apprenticeship culminated in 1976, when he was awarded the prestigious Leonardo da Vinci International Art Award for his first fresco in the U.S. St. Mary Great With Child. This painting was followed by three other frescoes. All four of these frescoes were created in two Episcopal churches in Ashe County, NC.

     In 1984, Long moved to France where, for the next 14 years, he split time between Paris and the Gard region of Provence. By that time, Long had completed several frescoes in Italy, including a joint fresco with Annigoni and the only work by a non-Italian at the Abbey of Montecassino. These works set the stage for 15 major fresco projects in the U.S. including a dome and the largest secular fresco in the United States.

    In addition to his prolific fresco work, Long has had works in the Royal Academy as well as the Royal Portrait Society (London, UK). He has exhibited in Florence, London, Paris, Atlanta, San Francisco, New York, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and is represented in major collections throughout Europe and the Americas. He has lived and worked in Europe for over thirty years and now divides his time between Europe and the United States. He currently lives mainly in Asheville, NC where he has two art studios and an art school.



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     AMT @ Glendale Springs, NC


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     AMT @ Glendale Springs, NC

Visitor
Comments


    comment by: Gloria
Love, love, love ❤ all the art we saw and experienced while in Asheville!!Laura

    comment by: Lois
Brilliant way to allow visitors to enjoy the sites and sounds that Asheville has to offer.

    comment by: Rebecca&Susan
We just loved all of the murals in Asheville! Asheville is a fun vibrant interesting town!

    comment by: Catherine Wilson
    (Asheville, NC)

As a member of Carolina Street Mural group, I learned about The Appalachian Mural Trail! After reviewing your web page. I planned my road trips to locate the trail murals, reflect on them and photograph memories of my trip!

    comment by: Tammy Compton
    (Fort Myers, Florida)

Love it! We went looking to take selfies with 3 and found over 20 murals!

    comment by: Angie Trapp
    (Concord, NC)

Beautiful mural in Sparta, one of my favorite places! 😊❤️

    comment by: Debra
    (Falls Church City, VA)

Doreyl,
Thanks for letting me know! What a great project!
It added cool stops to my visit and I love seeing art and the artist was around that day to meet.


    comment by: Cristy (Mountain City, TN)
We have been getting much more traffic around our murals, and a lot of it is due to the publicity from your organization!
Thank you!
We will unveil our newest (and largest) mural on September 4th.


    comment by: Cindy Hedrick Day
It's beautiful! Thank you!!!!
Awesome! You made my day! Love love love it!.
I saw the email re the Mural Trail special in process of being made. Can't wait to see it. We are working to finish our projects, exhibit changes, etc. Who knew it would take so long! But, it's soon finished!!!
Looking forward to seeing this!
Thank you again!!!


    comment by: Marcie Toomey
This is our second visit to Holy Trinity.. we always leave blessed and humbled ❤️

    comment by: Chelsea
Thank you so much for the quick response! I received my shirt and thoroughly enjoyed the trail! Thank you for all of the hard work put into this project!

    comment by: Debbie Dillion
Just came across your website and it is great! I plan to look for these murals in my travels. A phone app would be awesome.

    comment by: Carol
Lincolnton, NC, is loaded with murals! And I love them all!

    comment by: Barry & Cindy Beaulieu
we got to see the Fresco in W. Jefferson NC and is amazing ... we were on our two wheeler the Voyager... nature declares there is a God... everywhere you look... thanking ya'll so very very much...

    comment by: Vickie Sealock
    (Welcome Center Manager)

I love what you folks are doing. Several years ago we went to Exeter California to see their Mural trail. We spent hours in this little town looking at the murals and trying to find the hidden objects in each. We talked with the towns people, had lunch, shopped in the shops. I love the mural trails, and yours is going to be one of the best. Thanks for keeping us in the loop.

    comment by: Liz
Art is everywhere in Asheville! This gorgeous mural of Dolly Parton by Gus Cutty is the newest mural you'll see in town. Gus created the mural with spray paint in 3 days. See it for yourself at Beauty Parade on Haywood Rd in West Asheville.

    comment by: Karen
Roanoke murals are awesome to see... love the mural with girl floating in air... the poetry one was neat!

    comment by: Big Tom
This is great mural art, will be remembered a long time...

    comment by: Bob
This is very expansive mural, covers many walls inside the cradle building. Beautiful art mural, a must see!

    comment by: Dolly
Love the big murals!!!

    comment by: Lisa Patten
I love the mural trail. It's like seeing a gift at Christmas!

    comment by: Ann Barbare
Beautiful mural of Maggie Valley

    comment by: Jennifer
Love your mural artwork! The local references, the depiction of marvelous, beautiful, and colorful nature - landscapes, birds, animals, butterflies, and glorious flowers - invites close study and is very engaging!

    comment by: Carol
Looks like progress being made! Can't wait to see the mural at Joeys.

    comment by: anonymous
Can't wait to see this beautiful mural art in person at Joey's Pancake House

    comment by: Amy
I love your little sneak-a-peek view. Need more...

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     AMT @ Glendale Springs, NC




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